User Reviews

Dear John cranks up the melodrama in true Nicholas Sparks fashion, but it’s tough to ignore the solid performances at its core. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried have this undeniable chemistry that sells the whirlwind romance, even when the plot feels like a well-worn path. Tatum, in particular, shines as John, playing the soldier torn between duty and love. But it’s the father-son relationship that hits the hardest. The emotional goodbye to his father is just as gut-punching as his farewell to Savannah, adding layers you don’t usually expect in your typical romantic drama.Lasse Hallström brings his signature warm touch, making even the most predictable plot points feel personal. You’ve got all the classic Sparks stuff—sandy beaches, handwritten letters, and star-crossed lovers—but the real standout is how the film dives into deeper connections, showing that communication goes beyond just words. The cinematography? Gorgeous. While the movie doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, it knows its audience and delivers on that sweet, emotional tension.Yeah, it’s sentimental and predictable, but that’s also kind of the point, right? If you’re looking for an old-school tearjerker with a stunning cast and beautiful backdrops, Dear John does what it’s supposed to. It’s simple, heartfelt, and totally designed to yank at those heartstrings—so, maybe stock up on tissues before you hit play.

There are plenty of very good critiques of this film but I would like to add my own with the angle that this is not love. One of the dumbest "romance" films I have ever seen in my entire life, and I cant believe I went to see this in the theater. Nicholas Sparks, I dont know what kind of idiocy he was entertaining when he wrote this book but this is not a romance movie. It is Chinese water torture of a selfish **** who gets with a strong, honorable guy that she does not deserve and causes heartbreak. Supposedly out of love??? That is a bunch of BS and Im going to call it so! I dont know what message this movie is trying to send but real love does not do this. Do not let your teenagers watch this movie and get the idea that this is how real love operates. And that a good woman will say she loves someone only to leave because of stupid reasons. No, Savannah is a damaged, idiotic member of the female race who does not deserve to be among us and deserves to actually die alone. Fat and with a bunch of cats. And I do not buy this horse crap they are trying to sell that she left him out of Love or whatever garbage they say. Hollywood is trying to romanticize the "indecisive"woman and say that its a beautiful tragic love story when in reality John should have run far far away from a walking train wreck like Savannah.Beyond the idiotic, love story that is not a love story--its a story of abusive emotions called Love--there is a rather awkward plot line of John dealing with a father that is not quite emotionally there. I guess the father has some kind of intellectual disability. Its supposed to be one of the more emotional parts of the film but I did not connect in any way. The only emotion I got was from Channing Tatum in the scene where his father dies, because he is an excellent actor! So much so that I was in rage throughout the entire film to see at how his character is treated. Amanda Seyfield looks like a 12 year old girl the entire movie playing 16 stupid high School blonde. Alongside the tall, gorgeous hunk that is Channing Tatum she made me cringe! I dont ever want to see her in another movie, that is how badly she rubbed me in this film. Again, do not let your kids think this is how relationships work. Only in a sick, warped modern world do people actually think that healthy people act the way they do in this film! In reality somebody like John would be looking for a good woman who will be loyal, and knows what she wants!

Not a big fan of this movie. I thought the girl was messed up in this movie. Not sure what kind of romance thus was suppose to be, but it was dumb.

Very touching story about how absolutely random meeting of two people was the beginning of a very difficult love.

Dear John feels like a movie that could've been much more but instead it's a romantic movie about a guy that goes to war and cannot be with the women he loves but their is hardly any actual scenes with him at war most of the movie he is literally opening and sending letters and not just that the acting feels off sometimes the main two actors will have so much emotion in what their saying and the next scene their like a rock this movie feels rushed and unnecessary

The main characters are unbelievable and the story developed poorly because of bad writing: a rich girl that is perfect (despite she stating other wise) falls in love with a guy that says almost nothing and wants to me his dad in the second day. Then, when the movie starts getting somewhere, they bring the "complication" with a third act that never ends making sense and a ending that feels out of place.

This was such good but also sad movie. Channing Tatum was a great choice for John, and made John so likeable. Amanda Seyfried was good, but I dislike Savanah so much. I know the title tells all, but the climax is just so shocking that all I could do was cry when it happened. The romance is lovely while it lasts, so all we can do is cherish that bit until it inevitably comes to an end. I love all Nicholas Sparks stories, and this one is no exception.

I know it's weird that a guy like me finds Sparks' cliched cornball Dear John a pretty interesting emotional romance. Even though this movie is filled with the Nicholas Sparks lists of cliche's, it is a decent romance story. Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried are charming and like able despite director Lasse Hallstrom's direction. This film actually impressive and so is Sparks' storytelling. The actors giving a satisfying performance at the end i was satisfied. Grade B+

This movie was so sad!!! It was pretty good though, but soooo sad!! I don't know why everyone says its bad it s good, and very, very sad! It is a heart breaking story.

Dear John is a drama movie. But sadly, we couldn't see much sweet romantic thingy inside that makes us feel that Dear John is a flat movie. But Dear John can make us in tears with some moments when Dear John does really well....saying goodbyes.

Dear John is sweet and sometimes even moving, and it will please Nicolas Sparks fans and Romance fans. Yet, Channing Tatum has the looks but lacks in his acting chops and the film severely suffers from that. Still Amanda Seyfried and Richard Jenkins give noteworthy performances. This is the better of the Nicolas Sparks movies. I give this movie 49%.

Terribly boring, nonsense romance, terrible dialogs, terrible actors, terrible everything!!! everything in is this movies is boring and stupid and so wrong, if you want to see a good love story better see Casablanca or Before Sunrise, those are good love films

I waited so long for watching this movie, I have seen the trailer and I was almost dying desperately. A romance to shine the most romantic and dazzled eyes. But like all good love story, there are conditions and circumstances that ultimately discourage them. And And in an era where everything is backed by advanced technology, the couple rescues the late media of years ago: Letters. Yes, and that nostalgic feeling we get! See them exchanging pretty words in letters of truth is almost an homage to the envelope sheet and pen! And it sounds much more romantic. His relationship with his father was extremely well developed in the film. I found even more exciting John's relationship with her father than with Savannah, who finished without nexus. Romance never gets old. This is fact and what makes the day more fun. Exciting because we are always thinking of someone. Thatâ

I think this is by far one of the best love stories ever. It has everything from smiles to tears to intense moments. It is a very realistic story that people are really living today. It makes you believe in love, I fell in love with Dear John, I hope there is a second part.

Nicholas Sparks is the mastermind of incredibly-moving THE NOTEBOOK (2004). Lasse Hallström tried to bring another novel he wrote. Recently, we watched other Hallström direction in heartwarming HACHIKO: A DOG STORY (2009). Both of them made thiz romantic drama worth it to be waited. But in the implementation, something is out of track. The story was about Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) who accidentally met John (Channing Tatum) in one fine summer on the beach. Those memorable two weeks based their continuance into long distance relationship, when john sent away to his military mission. The Director, Hallström tried to capture it with simplicity. In fact, almost all of Hallström movies fill with simplicity. Seem to me his simplicity made the drama came out effectively and naturally. Richard Jenkins made a brief but incredible small role as John father. Seyfried always appears likeable, her character was gratifying. She could be able represent up and down of all emotions very well. Once again, he showed his singing talent here. I already fell in love with her since first time I saw her on MAMMA MIA! (2008). Inversely Tatum performance is awful. His character was vacuous and awkward. I doubt his acting skill at all. As the result, the chemistry is on serious gap. But once again, Nicholas Sparks novels always worth it to be tell. Thiz is fifth Sparks adapted movie, since Kevin Costner MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (1999), Mandy Moore A WALK TO REMEMBER (2002), Rachel McAdams THE NOTEBOOK (2004), Richard Gere NIGHTS IN RODANTHE (2008) and also upcoming Miley Cyrus THE LAST SONG (2010). His stories were always about long term and everlasting love. We could spend one fine evening with anybody or even a nice memorable summer, it could come and go. But it is the person who always stands beside us in all these times who is truly the one. Visit My Blog on JONNY'S MOVEE : ****

There is nothing offensively bad about this, it is just dull and full of completely flat characters. Tatum unfortunately doesn't bring much to his role, and the film just meanders on until it ends in a rather anticlimactic fashion.

I read the book, and, even though it is a typical Nicholas Sparks book, I have to say I enjoyed it a lot. The movie was decent. It didn't exactly follow the story correctly, which always irritates me, and something just felt a bit off. However Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried did an amazing job of making it feel like they really were John and Savannah from the book.

Its target audience is tween girls, and possibly 30-something fiancÃes based on her reaction, seeing Channing Tatum in and out of his uniform. This sappy movie was slow moving and its only purpose seemed to be to evoke tears from its female viewers. So if you donâ