The Vow
1. Theater-worthy! See it!
2. Definitely rent it.
3. Stream it on Netflix, if you must.
4. Don’t even bother.
I’m not the kind of girl who loves to see every chick flick that hits the big screen. But I definitely do enjoy seeing films that portray good ol’ fashioned love – the passionate, fiercely committed, self-sacrificing, “till death do us part” stuff. That kind of thing moves me, inspires me, ignites me, and that is why I really enjoyed The Vow.
This movie features a relationship that is joined forever, against impossible odds, in a unique way. A couple very much in love gets married, and shortly after goes through a tragic accident. The wife suffers from memory loss, and does not remember her husband. The story is about their journey in falling in love for a second time, and honoring their commitment to each other, for better or for worse. It’s based on a true story, which makes it even better.
Before I saw the movie in the theater, I watched an interview of the real life couple that this movie is based on, Kim & Krickitt Carpenter. They are Christians who want their story to be remembered for the commitment to their vows that they took seriously. Krickitt even clarified in the interview that even though they did fall in love twice, for her it was less about needing to fall in love again and more about honoring the commitment she made to her husband, Kim. That is the passionate, fiercely committed, self-sacrificing, “till death do us part” stuff that I mentioned earlier. What a heart breaking story, but amazing example, that ultimately turns out beautifully. You can see the full interview here: http://on.today.com/x1eRB4
I thought Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum were cast perfectly in this film. They spent time with Kim and Krickitt prior to filming and played their roles exceptionally well. The movie doesn’t follow the Carpenter’s true story super closely as far as the details go, but the overall theme is the same. So while the film portrays some themes that I wouldn’t endorse as a Christian (ie. Living together/sex before marriage – there are no illicit sex scenes in the movie though), the message of commitment to each other through the good and bad does shine through. I didn’t necessarily love the ending that was chosen for the film, but I’m glad I know the real ending for the Carpenter’s is one that I can celebrate.
