The Longest Ride

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some sexuality, partial nudity, and some war and sports action.
Run Time: 139 Minutes
My Rating: 3.5/5
So tonight for our anniversary, my wife and I saw The Longest Ride, the latest in the series of Nicholas Sparks' adaptions.  The film stars Britt Robertson (Dan in Real Life), Scott Eastwood (Fury), Alan Alda (NBC's The Blacklist), Jack Huston (HBO's Boardwalk Empire), and Oona Chaplin (HBO's Game of Thrones).  The film tells the epic love story of Luke and Sophia. Luke is a former champion bull rider who after terrible accident is looking to make a comeback, while Sophia is a college student who is about to experience her dream job in New York City. While the unlikely pair meet and fall in love, their different ideals and values are keeping them apart. However, one fateful night, the two meet Ira whose breathtaking love story with his beloved wife inspire the young couple to sacrifice everything and find out what really is important when it comes to love.
So personally, when it comes to Nicholas Sparks' films I am not a huge fan.  I think that they are good stories and fine films, but I just don't find them entertaining. However, that was not the case for this film.  I actually really liked it and was quite entertained throughout.  Though the intertwining love stories created for a spectacular and emotional roller coaster, for me it was the bull riding that made the film for me.  This is one of the first Nicholas Sparks' films that has counter-programming for all those men that are dragged to the theater by either their girlfriend, wife, or friend.  Now don't get me wrong, this is still a typical Nicholas Sparks' film, but it does provide a unique story that men will be able to enjoy.  Also, I was quite impressed by the film's two leads.  These two aren't well-known names now, but I have a feeling that these two will be very soon.  They have great chemistry and though the script could have been better, the two make the most of it and make the film great.  Finally, the film is visually amazing.  The landscaping is beautiful and the scenes just look good.  The lighting is amazing and the bull riding scenes are fantastic.
Though I thought the film was great, there were some things that I thought could have been better. For one thing, the script could have been better.  There were some lines in the film that I couldn't believe were said.  Another thing that I didn't like was that besides the bull riding, it was the exact same film as all the other Nicholas Sparks' movies.  They all have the same elements to them, but in terms of the target audience, they will absolutely love these elements.
Overall, I thought that this was a good film.  Is it the best film ever or even out in theaters? No. However, I will admit that compared to what is out in theaters now, this is a good piece of counter-programming that is quite entertaining for both women and men.  Fans of Nicholas Sparks will love this film just like all the other ones, but those that are on the fence, will probably find something to like about it as well.  There is definitely a reason that this film has the greatest fan rating of a Nicholas Sparks' film since The Notebook.  I do recommend you to see this film because if nothing else, it is visually stunning and quite entertaining.