Movie Review--The Lucky One

 Thanks Letty, for asking me to go to the movie with you.  It was fun to eat out and and make an attempt at a “night life” even though it was still light when we headed home after it was over.  You are a good friend.

Movie Review—The Lucky One
This movie was adapted from a book written in 2008 by Nicholas Sparks.  Several of his numerous books have been made into movies including the following:  The Last Song; Dear John; Nights in Rodanthe; The Notebook; A Walk to Remember; and Message in a Bottle.

The Lucky One begins with war scenes in Iraq.  Logan Thibault, a Marine, is serving his third tour of duty.  During a raid many in his platoon are killed along with other soldiers who were there.  The next day he is standing next to a building and sees something white stuck in a weed about 10 or 15 feet away and walks over to pick it up.  It’s a picture of a girl with the message on the back, “keep safe x.” At that moment the place where he was just standing is hit by mortar and those who were still there are killed.  Because of that picture, he was saved.  Later, he shows the picture to some of the survivors in the area, but is unable to find the owner.  He is saved once more when the vehicle he is riding in is hit and he is the only survivor.

Zac Efron is Logan Thibault
Taylor Schilling is the girl, Beth Clayton
Blythe Danner is Beth’s grandmother Ellie
Jay R. Ferguson is Beth’s ex Keith Clayton, and a sheriff’s deputy
Riley Thomas Stewart is Beth’s young son, Ben

When Logan returns to Colorado after his release from the service, he goes to live with his sister and her family who have been caring for his dog, Zeus.  Soon he realizes that he has problems with "survivor guilt" from the war.  After finding a landmark on the computer identifying the place where the picture of the girl was taken, he leaves with his dog and walks across the country.  When he arrives in Louisiana he goes to a bar and asks about the girl in the picture.  He is directed to a dog kennel where she lives and works.  She assumes he is there applying for a job she and her grandmother (the owner of the kennel) advertised for, and the grandmother, Ellie, comes in and hires him on the spot.

The rest of the movie is the development of the (at times rocky) relationship of Logan and Beth with the support of Ellie, the grandmother, and Ben, Beth’s young son.  The antagonist is Beth’s ex husband who is abusive to Beth, threatening to take Ben away from her.  He also bullies and belittles Logan for his military service.

Part of the plot of the movie centers around Beth’s unseen brother, Drake, an Army sergeant, killed in Iraq under unknown circumstances.  Logan finally puts the pieces together and is able to give Beth the details of her brother’s heroic death. 

WARNING: Spoiler if you intend to see the movie.

During a storm, Ben runs away from his father and goes to his tree house by a raging river.  Both Keith (Ben’s father) and Logan run to rescue him.  Keith is lost in the water, thus solving all Logan and Beth’s problems with the ex, but Logan is able to save Ben.  For me, the ending is just a little too perfect.  Logan and Beth are in love, Ben is safe, Ellie is happy, and Keith is no longer a problem.  Aw, if life could only work out that well.