"The Breakup Letter" movie

Year: 2010

Genre: War/Drama/Romance

Region: USA

Production Company: Screen Gems Inc.

Language: English

Release Date: February 5, 2010 (Friday)

English Title: Dear John

Alias: Dear John

Director: Lasse Hallström

Cast: Channing Tatum / Amanda Seyfried

Statistics: Subscribed by 176 people

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0989757/ (5.7/10 (5,142 votes))

Synopsis:

At the age of 23, after graduating from high school but not pursuing further education, John aimlessly switched jobs one after another, spending his days drinking and partying in bars, engaging in numerous relationships without finding true love. Until one day, he decided to join the military. During a holiday back home, under the bright sun of his hometown, on the beach, he met Savannah, a girl in her prime at the age of 21. Coming from a vastly different background than John, unlike his rebellious nature, she was pure, kind, and sincere, with firm ideals and beliefs, and clear goals. Through Savannah, John rediscovered himself and redefined love. Their sweet time together was short-lived as John had to return to the army and was even stationed overseas. As days passed, their long-distance relationship, maintained through letters and occasional visits, came to an end when Savannah sent a breakup letter. Heartbroken and lost, John did not immediately call or fly back home; instead, he carefully folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope, deciding to carry it with him wherever he went, like carrying a wound sustained in battle.

Years later, unable to forget Savannah, John visited her home and uncovered the secret behind that breakup letter, gradually understanding the truth and having the chance to make a choice again. However, his decision was...

One-line Review:

Apart from the competent performances of the two leads, the film almost ruins the original work everywhere. - USA Today

The annoying epistolary format keeps recurring, and the relentless editing is tormenting for the audience. - San Francisco Chronicle

Behind-the-Scenes Production:

Pure Love Above All

People often believe that the protagonists of novels are the authors themselves. This statement may not be entirely correct, but it's not without reason either. An author usually bases their characters and plots on themselves or people around them. Nicholas Sparks, known as the "King of American Pure Love Novels," is such a writer who likes to find material in his own life. Regarding this novel "Dear John," Sparks said: "In fact, the story in this novel is basically my own love story. Of course, my love has been relatively smooth. The girl I fell in love with has now become my wife. Twenty years ago, we met by the sea, hit it off instantly, and talked for a long time. At the time, I realized there were many similarities between us. In four days, we fell in love with each other. However, our short vacation ended, and we had to go our separate ways. We were both very reluctant to part, so we agreed to stay in touch through letters. In the following months, we wrote about 200 letters." Perhaps life really is the best reservoir of materials for writers; this novel, which carries the shadow of the author's personal experiences, became widely popular upon its release. Not only did it top the New York Times bestseller list, but it also caught the eye of renowned Swedish director Lasse Hallström, who adapted it into a movie.

Lasse Hallström said: "Before reading this best-selling novel, I didn't have too high expectations for it. Many years of reading experience told me that something praised by everyone isn't necessarily a masterpiece. But when I started reading it, I was completely captivated by 'Dear John.' The meticulous portrayal of love and the emotions of the two individuals easily captured my heart. In a sense, this novel is not just narrating a love story between two people but describing a boy's growth, his search for meaning in his life, and his redemption. This is what most attracted me in the novel. I believe that everyone can find a reflection of their younger selves or their love stories within it. This sentiment, I think, resonates with everyone."

During the filming process, the actors were often moved by the relatable emotions in the novel. Channing Tatum, who played John, said: "The love in this novel is darker than any love story Sparks has ever written. It contains concealment, loneliness, and self-isolation. He poured all his efforts into this story, making it profoundly touching. There’s no war in the entire movie; it looks like a purely sentimental love story. Two young lovers, clueless and unaware about love, are like driving a car out of control on the highway of love."

Amanda Seyfried, who played opposite Tatum, said: "To give up for love is truly a form of self-sacrifice, a way of expressing love. This aspect of the film deeply moved me. A lover is not just the person who wakes you up in the morning or waits for you at dinner, but someone who sacrifices themselves for your happiness when necessary."

Love Novels Are Not Romantic Novels

With 11 romance novels already penned, novelist Nicholas Sparks has his own unique understanding of romance novels. He said, "Romance novels are not romantic novels; these are two different types of literary styles. Romantic novels are those popular melodramas where a sufficiently romantic and emotional plot suffices, but romance novels are among the hardest types of novels to write. Romance novels require authors to explore real human emotions and awaken the reader's desires. Yet the author cannot manipulate the reader or educate them like a love mentor. Romance novels demand dramatic stories but cannot be soap operas. They require characters to have universal significance while being innovative and avoiding clichés. Finally, they need concise and first-class writing to tie everything together. Very few writers can achieve these things because romance novels are extremely difficult to write. Horror novels just need to be scary, without requiring elements of love or tragedy; adventure novels just need to be thrilling, without requiring the exploration of character self-awareness. This is why there are excellent writers in other genres, but high-quality works in romance novels are rare—Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet,' Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms,' and Erich Segal's 'Love Story' are among the best examples."

Regarding the arrangement of 9/11 and the Iraq War as the novel's backdrop, Sparks explained: "War is the best setting for a novel. Hemingway's 'A Farewell to Arms,' 'Gone with the Wind,' and 'Casablanca' are all outstanding examples. Doing this might seem clichéd since countless others have written and filmed similar stories before me; however, it could also be seen as unconventional because I do not express praise or criticism toward the war itself—I think this is the essence of my intention in writing the novel. I am not writing a war novel but a romance novel, and in recent years, very few writers have done this."

Although the story is set against the backdrop of the era of 9/11 and the Iraq War, Sparks does not express his political stance in the novel, which is rare in recent war-themed novels. Director Lasse Hallström said: "This is actually a strategy, a narrative strategy for writing novels and making movies. If I constantly expressed my hatred for war in the film, the audience would quickly become bored, and the film would lose its entertainment value. If I don't express my views on war and simply depict the powerless fate and helpless lives of the two characters, the audience will quickly resonate with the characters and the story—this resonance is what I need."

Fun Facts:

- The film title "Dear John" is an American slang term meaning a breakup letter. Originally written as "Dear John Letter," John here refers to American soldiers. Its origin dates back to World War II, when wives or fiancées at home could no longer endure their men being away for long periods and thus proposed breaking up. The content of these letters generally read: "I've found my lifelong partner, and it's not you...". Due to the popularity of "Dear John" and the brevity of the letters, it directly led to another English phrase: "That's all she wrote," whose non-literal meaning is "I got dumped."

- "Dear John" is Nicholas Sparks' 11th novel, once topping the New York Times Best Seller list and translated into 35 languages, with global sales of 45 million copies.

- Several of Nicholas Sparks' works have been adapted for the big screen, including "The Notebook," "Message in a Bottle," "A Walk to Remember," and "Nights in Rodanthe."

- The name of the female lead in the movie, Savannah, is the same as one of Nicholas Sparks' daughters. In fact, Nicholas Sparks often names characters in his books after his family members.

- Both the father in "Dear John" and Tim's younger brother are autistic. In real life, Sparks' son has mild Asperger's syndrome (a type of autism).