Nicholas Sparks syndrome

I finally saw "The Last Song" on Friday. The film is the latest adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel, this time featuring the acting "talent" of Miley Cyrus. It is not a great film, in fact it's probably not even a good film. There are several reasons for this.

First, the writing is weak. Sparks shares some blame for this, having co-written the screenplay with Jeff Van Wie. While I acknowledge there was a plane in place for the film, it's hard to see how it was supposed to work. Part of the problem is that books can't always be adequately translated to film. Books are dense works of fiction that provide plenty of background and exposition that doesn't translate to a visual medium. Of course, the dialogue was problematic for this film as well. Many of the lines landed with a thud — particularly during key sequences — which doesn't help.

Second, Miley Cyrus was in over her head. She is a kid's personality with a strong fan base. It makes sense, in some ways, that she would be cast to carry a film. However, when she was cast in the lead role, it defined what the film would be. It's a Miley Cyrus film. She was not surrounded with a great cast — though one could argue young Bobby Coleman, who plays her little brother in the film, gives the best performance. The "veteran" actors in the picture limp through it and pretty much everything is built on Cyrus' character. The problem is she doesn't have the chops to pull it off, partly because of reason No. 3.

Third, the Nicholas Sparks syndrome. Sparks books are popular and have a certain appeal, and it's not hard to see why. They are emotional love stories. They've also been adapted into a number of films — "Message in a Bottle," "A Walk to Remember," "The Notebook," "Nights in Rodanthe," "Dear John," and "The Last Song." But his films all fall into a familiar pattern, which includes a gut-rending tragedy at some point.

Having films that fit into a formula isn't necessarily a problem. Many TV shows are formulaic, as are film franchises. By now, we know what to expect from an M. Night Shymalan film, and it usually wasn't hard to tell what pattern the great Alfred Hitchcock was going to take with his films. With Sparks, we know the formula all too well. But it's not the mystery in the story that brings in the audience, it's the journey. Some films are about the destination, some are about the journey. Sparks' adaptations are about the journey.

The best of his films work not because you're surprised by how they end, but because you are emotionally tied to the characters. "The Notebook," largely regarded as his most commercially successful film, isn't hard to predict. It works because the actors — Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, Gena Rowlands and James Garner — sell it and draw you into the story. The same holds true for my favorite of Sparks' works, "A Walk to Remember." It starts out as a stock teen film and takes a turn. It's not all that unexpected, but it's done in a memorable, beautiful way.

But when that doesn't happen, the story lands with a thud. Case in point: "Nights in Rodanthe." I have not seen this film, but I can tell you exactly what happens. I watched the trailer, and based on that presentation (which shows far too much, another Hollywood failing of late) and my knowledge of Sparks, I was able to accurately predict the entire plot. I didn't even need to see it. I did double-check my prediction against someone who watched the film and, no surprise here, I was correct. But that easy to predict plot device is quickly becoming Sparks' undoing.

Two films based on his novels have been released this year and neither was overly memorable. "Dear John," which came out just before Valentine's Day, followed a familiar formula. Of course, the filmmakers made a key change to the story, offering up a rare happy ending, but even that didn't work because there was no connection between the characters and the audience.

"The Last Song" suffers that same fatal flaw. From watching the trailer, my sister was able to correctly deduce the tragic end awaiting a key character (an ending I won't ruin here for those that still have their heart set on seeing the film). But by the time it came, it felt like playing out the string. And film companies wonder why their films aren't scoring big at the box office.

Even a compelling story can be undone by stilted writing and an underwhelming performance. Something Sparks may want to consider before another of his novels is butchered and served up to a commercial audience.