No Surprises Makes A Pleasant Jaunt For 'Forever My Girl'
- Starring Alex Roe, Jessica Rothe, John Benjamin Hickey, Abby Ryder Fortson
- Rated PG
- Romance, drama
- Run time: 1 hr, 48 min
- Directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf
- In theaters January 19, 2018
There's been a severe lack of good, old-fashioned predictable romance flicks since the well of every Nicholas Sparks book-turned-movie ran dry. Sure, they were not really cinematic masterpieces by any means but there was something comforting about just sitting and enjoying a movie that isn't going to be filled with a single twist or turn. Forever My Girl fulfills that need tenfold.
The acting is fine, the scenery is pretty enough and the chemistry between the two leads is just enough to keep you interested. With every movie needing a shocking ending or something extreme to stand out, it makes this simple "will they - won't they - they probably will" movie seem so incredibly lovely. It may not be the best story by a long shot, but it's oddly enjoyable.
Alex Roe's performance as a singer is believable enough and is fitting for this almost Sparks-like romance. Roe and Jessica Rothe are quite adorable together and even through manufactured lines, it's easy to believe they genuinely enjoy spending time together. Abby Ryder Fortson is the true breakout, however, with her incredibly wonderful sassy moments at every turn.
The cast is well-rounded and the story is decently paced, and it's just shy of becoming a true romantic comedy. For some lighter fare among all the suspense-filled movies that take up the majority of theaters, this is worth the watch, but maybe not worth spending the money on a full-priced ticket.