By Lexy Perez
Arts and Entertainment Assistant

Rating: 2.5/5 Paws

The time has come for movie-goers to be introduced to yet another love story. It is a new addition to the Nicholas Sparks collection, a.k.a: the sappy, tearjerker, Hollywood hunk-filled, ‘why can’t this be my real life’ type of films.

“The Best of Me” is Sparks’ new page-to-screen adaptation. While it consists of his signature love story components, it is simply a 2.0 version of his nationally known masterpiece, “The Notebook.”

James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan star as Dawson and Amanda, former high school sweethearts who are reunited 21 years later after forming an inseparable bond filled with love and passion. While reuniting, they find themselves in a tug of war- reigniting their once puppy love or facing the reality of their previous hardships that kept them apart even after two decades.

While Marsden and Monaghan are established actors in Hollywood, the young counterparts of their characters steal the show. Luke Bracey (young Dawson) and Liana Liberato (young Amanda) express an undeniable chemistry that makes viewers believe in the power of a first true love. All Marsden and Monaghan have is a lackluster chemistry that seems as if they are just acquainted friends rather than past lovers.

Without watching Liberato and Bracey depict a blooming love story, it is unlikely to ever believe that these two people were once love-stricken teenagers. It almost seems as if two different love stories were being portrayed: the story of first love and the story of two sad and lonely adults turning to each other despite being strangers (surely another possible Sparks story).

If this movie was released before “The Notebook,” it could have the potential of being recognized as a classic love story, but, unfortunately, all it does is follow the same cliché recipe of ‘rich girl falls for poor boy,’ families object, life drama happens, nonstop tears, the coveted rain kiss and even more kissing that makes the film seem as if it’s simply attempting to promote a brand of chap stick.

While I love romance movies as much as the next girl, this one fails to grasp my full attention and admiration. Throughout the film, I found myself already knowing what would occur, seeming as if I wrote the script myself. While it could prove that I am worthy of being a screenwriter, the unfortunate reality is that it is a generic movie that offers nothing new and interesting to its viewers.

“The Best of Me” is definitely one of those films that could be viewed when in need of a complete cheesy chick-flick day, but if you’re looking for a true love story, stick to the classics.