By Ian Bonham

The Choice (12a)

Staring : Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Alexandra Daddario

Director : Ross Katz

Writers : Bryan Sipe (Screenplay), Nicholas Sparks (Novel)

Duration : 1 hour, 58 minutes

Continues showing at Kings Bastion Leisure Cinemas to 15^th March 

After the hard drama in movies delivered during awards season (The Revenant, Spotlight, The Big Short), and prior to the 2016 summer of epics we are bounding towards (Batman vs Superman, Captain America – Civil War, Suicide Squad) it is nice to take a little breather. A moment to come up for air before diving in deep again to a LOT of cinema action, drama and tension. “The Choice” is that little sorbet you need between courses when you are engaged in a meal that is utterly overindulgent.

Like the previous 10 Nicholas Sparks novel adaptations before it (yes, you read that right, 10!!), “The Choice” is a tale of two people in love against the odds. Set in deep South America in some wonderful locations, Benjamin Walker's 'Travis' falls in love with Teresa Palmer's 'Gabby'. Of course Gabby is already engaged to the perfect man, so finds herself falling for this renegade veterinary surgeon. Thus, the movie becomes “The Choice” as indicated in the title... or does it? I'm not giving owt away here, but there may be more choices faced that the one you immediately consider as the main plot point.

Much like the movie we saw last week, “London has Fallen”, this is a film that is what it is. It's not trying to be clever, it's not moralising, it is basically a chick-flick. This is a film you go to for one of two reasons. You either go with a bunch of girls from the office, buy bags of Maltesers from the concessions stall (because that IS the light fantastic way to enjoy chocolate), smuggle in a bottle of Lambrini and have a girlie night out...

or,

You take along your girlfriend/wife/significant-other to show off your emotional and caring side, remembering to not fall asleep, and cry rather than laugh at the correct places.

I can like this type of movie because they are not making me work hard, they are not asking much of me; you just go with the flow and enjoy the nonsense. It is typical of this type of movie that the people are just that tiny bit too beautiful to be realistic, all of whom happen to live in beautiful locations. As I sat watching it my mind did wander a little and I found myself designing a new drinking game where you take a shot as each standard trope is delivered on screen. I had to give up on that though, as the damage to your liver might be catastrophic.

All in all, it's a harmless flick which can be enjoyed. As I suggested at the beginning, it's Cinema Sorbet, a course to be enjoyed before the huge movies starting to arrive shortly. If you want the girlfriend to go see “Batman vs Superman” with you, take her to see “The Choice” first and your argument will be considerably strengthened*. It's a sweet little Love story, akin to 'Romeo and Juliet', and if it worked for Shakespeare it should work again. And again. And again.

* Yes, that sounds incredibly sexist considering we had International Women’s Day this week, I'm being intentionally ironic about who Hollywood aims this sort of movie at, and their stereotypes... ;)