Dear John Movie Review With Spoilers

Dear John is definitely a movie I was excited about, another gem from the author of The Notebook, Nicholas Sparks. Dear John tells the story of a soldier on leave named John (played by Channing Tatum) and a gorgeous girl next door named Savannah (played by Amanda Seyfried). The two meet when Savannah drops her bag in the ocean,and John, who just happened to be surfing nearby, dove in to get it. That ladies and gentlemen, is all it takes to fall in love.

It’s not enough that these two are absolutely beautiful, Savannah also builds houses for the homeless while on spring break and wants to be a special ed teacher and John is not only fighting for his country but also surfs, fights, has a perfectly sculpted body and is altogether a sweet sensitive guy. What more can you ask for?

After the two fall in love, John has to go back to the army (Special Forces) and they begin writing each other letters back and forth. Even though John promised Savannah he will be back in a year, he is forced to reenlist due to 9/11. Thanks for ruining the love of a lifetime Bin Laden.

Then, John receives a letter he was not expecting. Savannah has moved on with someone else, an older fellow with an autistic son and is already engaged. John is heart broken and decides to reenlist for another few years. Six years have gone by and John is sent home to take care of his dying autistic father, played by Richard Jenkins. While home, John can’t resist and decides to visit the long lost love that broke up with him with a letter five years ago. And that’s when the story unravels… if you are planning to see this movie, stop reading right now because I will totally ruin it for you.

Who did Savannah marry? She tied the knot with the last person you would ever expect. The older single father (Tim) to an autistic son that she has known her whole life. Why? That’s a very good question. Savannah never stopped loving John, but felt like Tim needed her. After all he had an autistic child AND cancer. Talk about a sad story.

Savannah catches John up on the situation, and John, being the selfless romantic that he is, sells his deceased father’s enormous coin collection, makes an anonymous donation for Tim’s hospital bills and heads back to the army. A few months later, John receives a letter from Savannah, telling him about the strange donation that gave her husband two healthy months to spend with her and his son to say goodbye. Crying yet???

Well, the movie ends while a hunky goatee sporting John is tying his bicycle to a poll next to a coffee shop, where he catches Savannah’s eye. She runs out of the shop and they hug. Really… that’s it??? Ending was a little disappointing, but at that point I was sobbing so hard I really didn’t care. Seriously though, this is definitely not a date movie. Do not see it with your boyfriend, and definitely do not see it with a stranger. Call your girlfriends, bring a box of tissues and prepare to cry your eyes out. I loved it.