Traditionally, Nicholas Sparks has created stories about young lovers torn apart by family tensions or some other external catastrophe. The latest film adaptation of a Sparks book, Nights in Rodanthe, changes this tradition — and for the better. In Nights in Rodanthe, instead of featuring modern-day Romeos and Juliets, Sparks chose to center his story around middle-aged lovers. This switch to more subdued, internal conflicts makes the story seem infinitely more realistic. These characters have children, jobs and baggage that they have to work through. It would take two very strong actors to portray such realistic and emotional characters.
When casting Nights in Rodanthe, Hollywood went with a couple proven to work well together and look good on screen. Diane Lane and Richard Gere have worked together several times, the first being The Cotton Club in 1984. Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, step aside!
Lane plays Adrienne Willis, a mother with two children. She is married, but has been separated from her husband. The movie starts off with her husband coming to pick up the children for the weekend and begging Adrienne to let him come back home. Adrienne says she will have to think about it. Gere plays Dr. Paul Flanner, a father who just moved out of his house and has a horrible relationship with his son. He is also haunted by his last surgery, which went terribly wrong. The two are thrown together when Adrienne manages her friend’s seriously dilapidated inn for the weekend, and Dr. Flanner is the only guest. The weather forecast warns of a hurricane, but they choose to ignore the prediction-happy weatherman.
The scenery for Nights in Rodanthe is gorgeous. The inn in which this movie takes place is a huge old house with plenty of balconies overlooking the ocean. There is something about a beach that has a distinct calming effect; however, it is when the shore is attacked by the hurricane that the lovers truly bond.
There is a large theme of wreckage and safety, which gives the film deep levels beyond a romance story. Both characters come with emotional wreckage and work through their problems together. Adrienne comes to understand that she can’t protect her kids forever and that she doesn’t want to take her husband back. Paul teaches her to think of herself and not just her kids. At one point, he asks her “Who keeps you safe?” Paul also faces his responsibility for the surgery and decides to mend his relationship with his son Mark (James Franco). There’s also the obvious wreckage of the hurricane. Adrienne admits at the end of the film “We saved each other.”
It’s amazing how much audience members of all ages will connect with these older characters. Lane and Gere both give remarkable performances and make an attractive couple. Lane in particular gives her maternal character a vivacity that makes her a lot of fun to watch. Even with middle-aged lovers you still have the raw emotion and passion you get with younger lovers. It just goes to show you don’t need young, hot lovers to make a great romance movie.
Nights in Rodanthe was a traditional romance, but it was just different enough to keep it realistic and prevent it from being cliché. It makes audience members laugh, cry and leave feeling truly touched.
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