Nights in Rodanthe – Classic Film Friday

Nights in Rodanthe

PG-13 for some sensuality
Genre: Drama, Romance
Running Time: 1 hour 38 minutes

In Theaters: September 26, 2008
On DVD: February 10, 2009
Box Office: $41.8 million

Warner Bros. Pictures – Village Roadshow

It’s Classic Movie Friday here on Blazing Minds and I’m honored to take part in this special. What makes a movie classic? For many a classic movie is something old. But when it comes to old – Who determines what old is? Old is in the eye of the beholder – and – of course the age of the beholder too. When it comes to classic movies I sometimes look to flicks that maybe didn’t get a wide release. As a result, such movies go unnoticed. But occasionally, tucked away in the midst of a limited release movie, we find a classic.

Such is the case with Nights in Rodanthe

This chick-flick-tear-jerker is based on the 2004 novel of the same name. However, just because I’m calling it a chick-flick-tear-jerker does not mean this is a bad movie. Adrienne Willis is a woman who finds her life swirling in chaos. When asked to take care of an inn on the water for a weekend, she jumps at the opportunity for a get-away retreat to the coastal Town of Rodanthe situated in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. She hopes the peaceful surroundings will help her sort through some of her current life issues.

However, her hope for peace quickly changes as a major storm is forecast and the only guest at the inn, Dr. Paul Flanner, arrives on the scene. Flanner is a mysterious man who’s quiet and seems to want to keep to himself. When asked to sign the guest book and give a home address, Flanner says he doesn’t know where he lives. As the story progresses, we quickly discover the Doctor is not on a weekend escape. Instead, he too is in Rodanthe facing a crisis of his own.

Nights in Rodanthe is not a really strong movie. But, it is also one that should not be ignored. If you like Richard Gere and Diane Lane, you will not be disappointed with their performances. Could it be this third time starring together in a movie is truly a charm? This is the third time the couple has been together on the big screen. For the 1984 movie The Cotton Club director Francis Ford Coppola introduced Diane Lane to Richard Gere. He first wanted to make sure there was an on-screen chemistry between the pair before putting them on the big screen together. In 2002 Lane and Gere were reunited for the movie Unfaithful. Now in Nights in Rodanthe, Warner Brothers and director George Wolfe have paired the big screen couple together once again. Gere and Lane could be the big screen equivalent of what Bill Cosby and Phyicia Rashad are to the small screen. When you put the two together – no matter what – you know they will do well together.

If you’re looking for lots of action, you won’t find it here. Nights in Rodanthe is a somewhat slow moving love story where we discover our two stars thrust together in the midst of a storm, literally. Both of their lives are in turmoil and then you toss in the turmoil of a real life storm threatening to blow the little inn right off its pedestal. However, in the midst of the storm we discover the all important sub-plot of the movie. While on the surface it may seem to be a simple chick-flick with a predictable ending, it’s much more than that. With a few twists and turns tossed in along the way, we end up discovering the difference between settling love and true love. True love, we discover, is defined as love from a person who encourages you to be all you can be. True love encourages a person to take risks and to step out beyond our comfort zone in all areas of life.

Aside from the storyline, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the incredible scenery found in Nights in Rodanthe. Filmed on location, the beauty of the North Carolina coastal Town of Rondanthe is breathtaking. Then when you add on the brilliant hurricane scene where you are sure you’re right in the middle of the storm, this “under the radar movie” – becomes in my opinion – worthy of a Classic Friday Movie feature.

Enjoy the show!
Dr. Rus

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