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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

The Longest Ride
Starring: Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Oona Chaplin, Jack Huston, and Alan Alda
Synopsis: By now, audiences have certain expectations when they see a film is “based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.” The romance author has 10 of his novels adapted into films in the last two decades. They are reliable stories of love and loss. And in some ways, they’ve become predictable. Two people have to overcome obstacles to be together — often coming from different worlds — only to see their romance come apart. Their happy ending can be curtailed for a variety of reasons, but the most common is a death. “The Longest Ride” has a lot of the familiar themes and set ups of other Sparks adaptations, but it’s fair to say this might be the most hopeful of his stories yet. Even if it does follow most of the familiar path. This film is directed by George Tillman, Jr. — best known for “Men of Honor” and “Faster” — and based on a script by Craig Bolotin (“Straight Talk,” “Black Rain”), but it will feel familiar to Sparks fans. The characters are different, the setting is a bit different, as are the story elements, but there is something very familiar about “The Longest Ride.” The film does do a nice job of shooting the bull riding scenes, something that feels different for a major film. Audiences don’t get to explore bull riding much in mainstream films, and “The Longest Ride” does a nice job of capturing the PBR events and the physical toll it takes to ride a bull. It also finds time to let its story and characters breathe. Eastwood — the son of legendary actor/director Clint Eastwood — does a nice job in the lead role, as does Robertson. Some of the best sequences are Robertson’s scenes with Alda, who adds some gravitas to the production. I also enjoyed the flashback sequences of Ira’s romance in and around the time of World War II. Jack Huston does a nice job portraying young Ira, and Oona Chaplin shines as Ira’s bride, Ruth. Their story is more interesting, and helps to ground the film. “The Longest Ride” is one of the more enjoyable Nicholas Sparks adaptations. It’s not hard to tell how the film will go, though the ending felt more surprisingly up beat than many of his other stories. It’s not a complicated movie, but it’s an enjoyable one.
Rating: PG-13 for some sexuality, partial nudity, and some war and sports action.
Verdict: Three stars out of four.

Upcoming Releases:
Friday, May 1 — "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Far From the Maddening Crowd," "Welcome to Me"
Friday, May 8 — "Hot Pursuit," "The D Train"
Friday, May 15 — "Mad Max: Fury Road," "Pitch Perfect 2," "I'll See You in My Dreams"
Friday, May 22 — "Tomorrowland," "Poltergeist"
Friday, May 29 — "San Andreas," "Aloha"

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