REVIEW

“Nights In Rodanthe” – screen vs. print

The Book: Written by Nicholas Sparks

After her husband leaves her for a younger woman, Adrienne Willis escapes to Rodanthe, North Carolina to take care of her friend’s inn. While she is there, a hurricane is in the forecast, and she is left to weather the storm with the only guest, Dr. Paul Flanner. Flanner, a surgeon who is leaving his practice and heading to Ecuador to be with his estranged son, is battling problems of his own.

In the short weekend Willis and Flanner are together, they fall in love, and learn that it is never too late to give love a second chance.

The Movie: Directed by George C. Wolfe

The movie brings Sparks’ novel to life with Diane Lane and Richard Gere reuniting to play Adrienne and Paul. Their chemistry that was previously established in “Unfaithful” comes back full swing in “Nights in Rodanthe.” Together they light up the screen and show it’s possible for a couple to fall deeply in love after only a few days.

The amazing scenery also contributes to the couple’s fast-passed courtship. Though Sparks was very descriptive in his text, it is difficult to envision just how beautiful the area is.

The entire film is shot in North Carolina, and viewers are taken to the beautiful beaches described in the novel. With surround sound and a huge screen, you can almost feel the ocean breeze on your face as gulls call from all directions.

When the inn is brought into view, the audience gasped at the sight of the beautiful building. The inn has balconies and a large porch with a staircase leading right to the ocean. The inside has been decorated with vintage chandeliers and furniture, and no detail has been spared, making this beach getaway a fantasy location for anyone watching.

A few key changes were made for the screen version of the film, such as the age and situations surrounding Adrienne’s daughter Amanda, but the film follows the book closely, and the storyline is organized much more fluidly, making the plot easier to understand.

Both versions end the same way — rather suddenly — but since the book reveals the ending within the first few chapters, the movie delivers the ending as a surprising twist.

The Winner: The Movie

This time the movie is much better than the book. Actually seeing the beauty and magic of Rodanthe makes this film much more than something to disregard as a sappy chick flick.

Instead, it allows viewers to appreciate the remarkable setting and its ability to bring two broken souls together. Pack your tissues and go light on the mascara.

“Nights in Rodanthe” is the typical Nicholas Sparks tear-jerker romance, but one that will have you flipping through Travelocity for tickets to Rodanthe for spring break.