Many new films were released this Valentine’s Day, and most are coming out with good reviews. The new film based off of award-winning author Nicholas Sparks’s novel “Safe Haven” is no exception.

The film has grossed $30.2 million so far, according to RottenTomatoes.com, and among a survey of about 15,000 viewers, 71 percent have enjoyed the film.

The dramatic romance filled up the theater when I attended the Friday screening.

The film stars Julianne Hough (“Burlesque,” “Footloose”) as Katie, a woman in her mid-20s who ends up in a small North Carolina town as she attempts to run from her troubled past.

Despite her desire to be as unnoticed as possible, she begins to fall in love with a widowed store owner, Alex, played by Josh Duhamel (“Transformers,” “When in Rome”). He begins to help her believe there is hope for a safe haven in her life.

The opening of the film begins with a dark, quick scene that shows a woman (Katie) running away from a house frantically in the dark. This is quite different from the original novel, which starts off very slowly, in my opinion. These dark memories occur throughout the film, adding a touch of mystery.

The film moves at an easy pace from the quick beginning that flows into a somewhat peaceful tale at first. The film is easy to follow and keeps the viewer wondering what exactly Katie is running from.

The romance does not settle in at first, though. Toward the beginning of the film, Katie is so obsessed with being unnoticed that she does not act on her feelings toward Alex until later on in the film.

I thought the film used great cinematography and the cast was perfect. There are some differences from the film and its novel, which was released in 2010, but even as a fan of the book, I enjoyed the film.

I was captivated the entire time, and was never bored by this romantic drama.

4 out of 5 stars