Blu-ray Review: Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams in Deadly Dull ‘The Vow’

CHICAGO – I feel like a bit of a confession is necessary to frame my opinion of the truly awful “The Vow.” Lest you think this is just some cynical male critic, I like “The Notebook” and “The Lake House.” I even kind of like “Dear John” and didn’t hate “The Time Traveler’s Wife.” Yes, I’m a cheeseball when the cheese is well-done. I wanted to like “The Vow.” There’s nothing to like here unless you find taking talented, charming actors and making them deadly dull likeable.

Blu-ray Rating: 1.5/5.0

I have another confession — I could have sworn that “The Vow” was based on a Nicholas Sparks book and thought it was until I saw the credits on the recently released Blu-ray and DVD. It might as well have been. Allegedly inspired by true events, the film doesn’t exist without the wild success of recent romantic dramas based on Sparks’ books. Sadly, “The Vow” falls into the worst cliched and melodramatic traps of its genre. And, worst of all, it fails to present us with characters to root for. By not setting up its troubled romance, we never get to know or like Paige (Rachel McAdams), a woman stuck in a nightmare after amnesia causes her to forget her husband. McAdams plays Paige completely wrong, making her unlikable to the point that it’s too easy to root for Leo (Channing Tatum) to find someone better. Yes, “The Vow” is one of those “romances” where you don’t really care if the couple at its center even gets back together. Vow to do something better with your time.

The Vow was released on Blu-ray and DVD on May 8, 2012
Photo credit: Sony

Synopsis:
Inspired by a true story, The Vow is the tale of a love that refuses to be forgotten. Leo (Channing Tatum, Dear John) is devastated when a car accident plunges his wife Paige (Rachel McAdams, The Notebook) into a deep coma. She miraculously recovers - but the last five years of her memories have vanished. Suddenly, Leo finds himself married to a stranger who can’t remember anything about him. Naively, Paige falls back under the influence of her controlling parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange) and reconnects with her ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman). Desperately, Leo tries to recreate the moments that shaped their romance. Can he rekindle the passion before he loses Paige forever?

Special Features:
o Deleted Scenes
o Gag Reel
o Director’s Commentary
o 3 Featurettes Exploring The Making Of The Film

[12]	By BRIAN TALLERICO [13] Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com [12]