Dear John (2010 film)

Dear John is a 2010 American romantic war drama film directed by Lasse Hallström, based on the 2006 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. It follows the life of a soldier (Channing Tatum) after he falls in love with a young woman (Amanda Seyfried). They decide to exchange letters to each other after he is deployed to the war. The film was released in North America on February 5, 2010, by Screen Gems, and received mixed to negative reviews.

Plot

In 2003, while serving in the

John and Savannah make plans to start a life together after John gets discharged from the Army. However, when the September 11 attacks occur, John along with his team request to extend their deployments. As a result, their time apart from each other ultimately turns into years. Back in Charleston, Savannah begins to spend more time with Tim, and decides that she wants to work with autistic children; she plans to build a farm and horse stables where they can enjoy the outdoors and animals.

Over the next two years, John and Savannah's romance continues through their letters. Eventually one turns out to be a literal "Dear John" letter, in which Savannah breaks up with John; she explains that while she still loves him, she has developed feelings for someone else and is engaged.

In 2003 after being shot in Afghanistan, John is encouraged to return home but he re-enlists for a second time. Four more years pass, and John is informed that his father has had a stroke, and is sent home to be with him. In the hospital, John reads a letter that he wrote to him; John's voice-over at the beginning of the film was from this letter, in which he tells him that the first thing to cross his mind after he was shot was coins, and the last thing before he lost consciousness was his dad. Soon afterward, his father dies.

After the funeral, John visits Savannah and learns that the man she married was Tim, abandoning her dream of a riding camp for autistic kids because of Tim's fight against lymphoma. Savannah takes John to the hospital to see him; Tim tells John that Savannah still loves John. Back at the house, John and Savannah enjoy a quiet evening together, and are tempted to pick up where they left off years earlier, but do not go through with their feelings. John says goodbye to Savannah and leaves, distraught.

John sells his father's coin collection (except the valuable mule coin that he found with his father years ago) to raise money to help with Tim's cancer treatment, then he returns to the military, carrying the mule coin with him as a good luck charm. He receives a final letter from Savannah telling him that they received an anonymous donation but Tim died from his illness after only two months of treatment.

Months later, John, now a civilian, eventually returns home; while in town one day while parking his bike, he sees Savannah at a coffee shop. They reunite and embrace.

Cast

• Channing Tatum as SSG John Tyree
• Amanda Seyfried as Savannah Lynn Curtis
• Henry Thomas as Tim Wheddon
• Richard Jenkins as Bill Tyree
• Luke Benward as Alan Wheddon
  • Braeden Reed as Young Alan Wheddon
• Scott Porter as Randy
• D.J. Cotrona
  as Noodles
• Cullen Moss as Rooster
• Gavin McCulley as Starks

Soundtrack

Music

The score to Dear John was composed by Deborah Lurie, who recorded her score with the Hollywood Studio Symphony at the Warner Brothers Eastwood Scoring Stage right after finishing her score for 9.^[3] A soundtrack album containing songs was released on February 2, 2010, from Relativity Media Group, and a score album was released digitally the same day.^{[citation needed]}

Release

The film was released on February 5, 2010, in the United States.

Reception

Box office

Dear John has grossed $80,014,842 in North America and $34,962,262 in other territories for a worldwide total of $114,977,104.^[2]

In its opening weekend, the film grossed $30,468,614, finishing first at the box office, knocking off