The Vow (2012) – Review

Where to watch The Vow

2 1/2 Stars

Movies like The Vow depend on casting and chemistry to draw interest from audiences. Luckily Rachael McAdams and Channing Tatumn make an attractive on-screen couple, and there is something in the way he grabs her and plants one on those lush lips, that suggests plenty of chemistry. It’s too bad then, that the story is so mundane with virtually no interesting characters and a crucial lacking of any humor. The stars are more than up for the challenge but the script disappoints at nearly every turn.

After four years of marriage young lovers Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum) are involved in a horrific traffic accident that leaves Paige in a coma. When she awakens her memory has been wiped out, not recognizing her husband or any semblance of her former identity-Paige decides to change from her hipster artist lifestyle to a conservative blue blood in a matter of scenes. Despite the jarring transition Leo diligently attempts to rehabilitate her memory with sights and moments from their past, she is weary though of this stranger who lives in a shabby neighborhood and is virtually broke.

Further complicating matters is the intrusion of her formerly estranged family (the underutilized Sam Neil and Jessica Lang), who insist that Paige come home with them. Leo pleads that Paige should be put back into her normal environment and routine to jar her memory, she reluctantly agrees and the two set out to re-discover their love. Then there is Jeremy (Scott Speedman), the ex-fiance who attempts to woo Paige back, taking advantage of her ailment. All this plays out exactly how you would imagine it to, with no surprises or suspense of the outcome. The saving grace is the strong acting and the measured direction that keeps this light-weight story palatable for its running time. The Vow is an acceptable date night movie but with this cast and filmmaker the result did not have to be so damn, vanilla.

Director: Michael Sucsy
Stars: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Scott Speedman