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Based on Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling book, THE LONGEST RIDE centers on two opposite dreamers who fall for each other. Luke is a former champion bull rider trying to make a comeback. Sophia is a college student working toward her dream career in New York City’s art world.
Let’s play word association. When I say “The Notebook,” you’ll probably say… chick flick. When I say “A Walk to Remember” you say… okay maybe the same thing. When I say “Nicholas Sparks” you say… okay never mind. You get the point. Nicholas Sparks has cornered the market with his brand of hopeless romanticism for decades. You know what you’re getting when you read a Sparks book or catch a flick of one his best sellers. This is the case with the Sparks based movie “The Longest Ride.” And if you’re a guy who loves action movies with almost no talking, then the movie may live up to its name. Though it does have the bull riding and cowboy angle, that may keep a guy’s interest if your girls drag him along to watch this with you.
The film basically starts when Sophia, played by (Britt Robertson), is dragged by her sorority sister to a bull riding competition. There she’s smitten by Luke, a bull rider working on making his comeback after recovering from being in a coma from a bull riding accident. Luke is played by Scott Eastwood (Yeah the son of the “Feel Lucky Punk” – Dirty Harry Actor and Award Winning Director Clint Eastwood.) Both are in different directions in their lives. Sophia is on the verge of moving to New York and Luke is needing to stay to reclaim all that he’s lost. Despite this, their chemistry is undeniable and they can’t help but consider pursuing it.
Both of their lives are changed after a date when they come across an automobile crash. There they come across an elderly man named Ira. Ira’s played by the seasoned Alan Alda. Their interactions with Ira and hearing his story of lost love helps the couple eventually see their own relationship in a new way.
This movie for some will be a tear jerker. This seems to have a little less of the “Sparkness” found in his other works. It’s not as over the top in the melodrama department as the Spark films seem. Though fans of the genre will probably like it just fine, if nothing else other than the eye candy that is Scott Eastwood, who has the star appeal to maybe start breaking out into some meatier roles. “The Longest Ride” is formulaic, but that’s what you’d expect when seeing this type of film.
Like other Sparks tales, there are two stories that cross back and forth throughout. It sometimes works but more often than not, it’s distracting.
This film isn’t made for me, so I’ll try to be a little less judgmental. There are some nice moments in it and some actors that are a joy to watch. Alan Alda is great as Ira Levinson, and just as good as everything else he’s in. Jack Huston does a nice job as the Young Ira. It’s shot very nicely. There are beautiful landscapes and there is an authentic feel to everything.
Overall the film feels a bit long. Eastwood and Brit Roberston are nice to look at but do little as far as pulling you into the story. They have an okay chemistry, but the real heart is the story is Ira and Ruth.
This just isn’t my type of film, so I can’t really recommend it. I think if you’ve seen all the other Sparks-based films, then you should go see this one. It definitely works for that particular audience.
