The Longest Ride (2015)
Certified: 12
Duration: 128 minutes
Directed by: George Tillman Jr
Starring: Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Alan Alda, Jack Huston, Oona Chaplin, Melissa Benoist, Lolita Davidovich, Barry Ratcliffe, Gloria Reuben, Brett Edwards, Hunter Burke
KRS Releasing Ltd
Sophia (Britt Robertson) is an art student at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, who is intent and bent on her studies. At one point she goes to a bull-riding tournament along with her friend and sorority pal Marcia (Melissa Benoist). There she sees Luke Collins (Scott Eastwood) who, besides being handsome, is also one of the most accomplished and upcoming bull riders. The two are both attracted to each other but they have to overcome many stumbling blocks to be together.
On one hand, Sophia is graduating in two months’ time and after college she is to start an internship at one of the best New York galleries.
On the other hand, Luke’s career of choice is not only dangerous but has already almost killed him. He has just come out of a coma and is back in the ring against everyone’s advice. He has set himself a target: to financially help his widow mother Kate (Lolita Davidovich) to keep their farm. Besides, the two youngsters are polar opposites.
One night, on returning home, the couple comes across a car accident and save the elderly driver, Ira (Alan Alda). The widower carries with him a box in which he has kept all the letters and photos of his wife Ruth (Oona Chaplin). That is when Sophia starts to care for Ira and reads him his own letters. This leads to trips in the past where Ira’s role is played by Jack Huston. Through these letters, Sophia starts to revaluate her life and that of the ones dear to her.
This film follows the trend of most Spark adaptations
The Longest Ride is based on Nicholas Sparks’s 13th novel which was launched in 2013. It is also the 10th of his novels to make it to the silver screen and will be followed next year by an adaptation of The Choice.
This film follows the trend of most Spark adaptations: romance tinged with drama, longing and unrequited passion. However, director George Tillman Jr handles his actors well and sets out the structure in a simple fashion. He bounces from present to past to deliver two stories, with the past one affecting the modern romance.
Alda brings along a quiet dignity to his role while Robertson brings substance and emotion in what could have been a Mills & Boon cutaway character. Eastwood seems to have inherited his father’s look and blue eyes, while Chaplin, granddaughter of Charles Chaplin, makes for a very unusual beauty.
The Longest Ride has all the ingredients that have made Sparks novels such a draw with the female audience. The male characters are sensitive and hunky; there are plenty of chances for hankies to be wept into and watered; and enough plot twists to make this an ideal romance fantasy.