The Vow
Happy young married couple Paige and Leo are, well, happy. Then a car accident puts Paige into a life-threatening coma. Upon awakening she has lost the previous five years of memories, including those of her beloved Leo, her wedding, a confusing relationship with her parents, or the ending of her relationship with her ex-fiance. Despite these complications, Leo endeavors to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics found The Vow a formulaic and shallow romantic drama that squanders a compelling true-life premise, though McAdams and Tatum drew some praise for their chemistry and individual performances. The divide ran between those who found it an adequately sweet date movie and those who saw it as a cynically manufactured tearjerker with nothing real underneath.
“There's an essential sweetness at work here, thanks partly to McAdams and partly to an unusually chaste love story that ultimately keeps melodrama at bay.”
Emma Dibdin·Total Film
“It's a shame things are so black and white because the movie has more promise – and more laughs – than trailers suggest.”
Stephanie Merry·The Washington Post
“Despite the sweet story, this is a movie that leaves you wanting more. To care more, to cry more, to love more.”
Betsy Sharkey·Los Angeles Times
“With its would-be crowd-pleasing contrivances and rote adherence to formula, [this film] offers almost no redeeming characteristics. [...] This is for young women what Transformers is for young men.”
James Berardinelli·ReelViews
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Michael SucsyDirector
Rachel McAdamsPaige Collins
Channing TatumLeo Collins
Sam NeillBill Thornton
Scott SpeedmanJeremy
Jessica LangeRita Thornton
Tatiana MaslanyLily
Lucas BryantKyle
Kristina PesicLizbet
Dillon CaseyRyan
Wendy CrewsonDr. Fishman
Joey KleinJosh
Joe CobdenJim
Michael BrookComposer
Rachel PortmanComposer
Marc SilversteinWriter
Abby KohnWriter
Jason KatimsWriter
Rogier StoffersCinematographyThe Vow
Happy young married couple Paige and Leo are, well, happy. Then a car accident puts Paige into a life-threatening coma. Upon awakening she has lost the previous five years of memories, including those of her beloved Leo, her wedding, a confusing relationship with her parents, or the ending of her relationship with her ex-fiance. Despite these complications, Leo endeavors to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.
What critics thought
DivisiveCritics found The Vow a formulaic and shallow romantic drama that squanders a compelling true-life premise, though McAdams and Tatum drew some praise for their chemistry and individual performances. The divide ran between those who found it an adequately sweet date movie and those who saw it as a cynically manufactured tearjerker with nothing real underneath.
“There's an essential sweetness at work here, thanks partly to McAdams and partly to an unusually chaste love story that ultimately keeps melodrama at bay.”
Emma Dibdin·Total Film
“It's a shame things are so black and white because the movie has more promise – and more laughs – than trailers suggest.”
Stephanie Merry·The Washington Post
“Despite the sweet story, this is a movie that leaves you wanting more. To care more, to cry more, to love more.”
Betsy Sharkey·Los Angeles Times
“With its would-be crowd-pleasing contrivances and rote adherence to formula, [this film] offers almost no redeeming characteristics. [...] This is for young women what Transformers is for young men.”
James Berardinelli·ReelViews
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Crew
Michael SucsyDirectorRachel McAdamsPaige CollinsChanning TatumLeo CollinsSam NeillBill ThorntonScott SpeedmanJeremyJessica LangeRita ThorntonTatiana MaslanyLilyLucas BryantKyleKristina PesicLizbetDillon CaseyRyanWendy CrewsonDr. FishmanJoey KleinJoshJoe CobdenJimMichael BrookComposerRachel PortmanComposerMarc SilversteinWriterAbby KohnWriterJason KatimsWriterRogier StoffersCinematography