I was initially drawn to this movie, and by the end, I found myself really enjoying it.
Going into The Lucky One, I knew it was one of Nicolas Sparks’ works (if you’ve seen The Notebook and Dear John then you’ll know) they pretty much have the same aesthetic and revolve around romance and tragedy.
But while I rarely cry during films, The Lucky One made me shed a tear (or two).
There was one scene in the movie that just did something to me. Here is my review of this 2012 classic movie.
what is the lucky one about?
Directed by Scott Hicks, the film begins in a somber setting—amid war. The first few scenes take place in Iraq. In the first 10 minutes, there’s some bloodshed and violence.
We are quickly introduced to our main character, Logan Thibault (Zac Efron). He serves in the Marines and while on the battlefield Logan gets distracted when he picks up a photograph of a young woman.
We come to learn that most of the soldiers don’t keep personal belongings with them.
So of course it was a bit bizarre for Logan to find this picture in the middle of nowhere. However, during those moments of distraction, it helped save his life.
So fast forward, he moves back with his sister, but his new living situation is less than ideal.
He suffers from severe PTSD and anything that reminds him of his army days, whether it’s this nephew playing video games or jumping up on him sets him on edge.
Finally, Logan goes on a search for the woman whose photograph he believes brought him good luck during the war.
He ends up in Colorado working for a dog home, after the woman, whose name is Elizabeth “Beth” Green and is played by actress Taylor Schilling, he meets there tells him about the job.
But telling her the truth doesn’t come easy and unfortunately for Logan life after the army isn’t smooth sailing.
Meanwhile, Beth is also dealing with her own issues like losing her brother and dealing with her jerk of an ex-husband.
They have a young son named Ben together and her ex Keith is constantly making things difficult for her, especially when it comes to raising Ben. He’s not the kind of guy who lets go of control easily, and he’s often portrayed as a bit of a jerk.
It causes a lot of stress for her, as she’s trying to protect her son and do what’s best for him, all while dealing with the sudden arrival of Logan in her life.
The romantic drama has a PG-13 rating, making it suitable for teens but does have some mature content. It contains mild sexual scenes, some violence, profanity, and a few instances of alcohol use.
Alongside Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling, The Lucky One also stars Blythe Danner, Jay R. Ferguson, and Riley Thomas Stewart.
what I loved and hated about the lucky one
Beth and Logan’s relationship felt a bit forced, and I can see why it doesn’t land as strongly as you’d expect from a romance.
From the very beginning, Beth thinks Logan is kind of crazy, especially when he turns up at her door, asking for a job at a dog shelter considering how far he’s travelled to get there. Understandably, she’d be wary of him. And yet, as the film progresses, she seems to let him into her life a lot faster than I’d expect, especially considering the tragedy she’s been through and the fact that she’s just starting to rebuild her life. It almost feels like the emotional part of their relationship is rushed.
For Logan, though, it’s clear he’s more invested in her, even after she learns the truth about his connection to her brother. It almost makes it seem like his feelings for her are more intense, perhaps even idealized because of the emotional baggage he carries. The whole thing feels a little unconvincing, with Logan’s connection to her brother hanging over everything, making it harder to buy into the romance as genuine.
There are some important lessons we learn. I love a good movie that teaches important life lessons. Friendship, forgiveness, love.
There are so many gems in The Lucky One. I can’t forget Logan’s opening line in the movie. In a voiceover, he says: “You know, me, the smallest things can change your life. In the blink of an eye, something changes when you least expect it. Sets you on a course you never planned into a future you never imagined.
“Where will it take you? That’s the journey of our lives. Our search for the life. But sometimes finding the light means you must pass through the deepest darkness. Atleast that’s how it was for me.”
I can’t get over this one beautiful scene. For me, a memorable moment in the movie was when Logan explained what he was doing in Colorado.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t him who told his story. Annoyingly, Keith shows Beth the picture of herself, which was hidden in Logan’s room. It proves that Logan had a secret reason for meeting her.
Beth eventually confronts him, to which he tells her that he’d picked up the photo that her brother had carried around while at war. It’s such a poignant moment, that Logan finally breaks down and reveals what the picture had meant to him.
Beth should have trusted her instincts more. There were times when I just wanted to sit down with her and remind her that she doesn’t have to please everyone, and that everything will be okay. This was especially true when it came to her ex, Keith. With his toxic behavior, it was clear they were never going to see eye to eye on how to raise their son, Ben.
characters
I have a love-hate relationship with nearly all of the characters in this movie. But let me just run through some of the things that annoyed me the most about them. But I’m also thankful they weren’t a lot worse.
Beth
Beth is an amazing mum – however she is one of my least favorite characters (as well as Keith). She’s easily influenced and doesn’t trust her own instincts. There are so many moments when she just goes along with whatever the people around her say, and honestly, she can be judgmental.
When she finds out about Logan’s secret instead of asking him questions or hearing him out, she immediately puts her guard up.
Then there’s the situation with her grandmother, who told her she needed to stop sabotaging things and that good could actually come from them. Of course, Beth doesn’t listen at first, but her grandmother’s words were spot on.
Logan
Logan is quiet and caring. We know he’s been he’s been through a lot because of his time in the military and despite his tough past, he’s kind and does whatever he can to protect and helpthe people closest to him, particularly eth and her son, Ben. His pursuit of Beth is aabout finding closure, but he also wants peace and to move forward with his life. However he unexpeclty find love along the way.
However, there were also times I wished he could’ve spoken up about his feelings for Beth sooner.
Keith
Ugh, Keith. He was both controlling and selfish.
His behavior was toxic, and he doesn’t care for anyone else but his needs.
It was hard to feel sorry for Keith, even though we learn that his way of coping with the pressure of not disappointing his parents. It’s a sad situation, but it doesn’t excuse his behaviour. I also felt that his role as a cop played into the stereotype of them being aggressive.
Grandmother
There’s always that one character in films who brings a sense of clarity, and in this case, it’s Beth’s lovely grandmother. She always knows exactly what to say at the right time, and I really loved her pearls of wisdom. And also just how sassy she was!
Ben
I really feel for Ben. He was stuck between his mom and dad.
Ben is just such a sweet and sensitive kid. He has a big heart and showed a lot of maturity for his age. I was glad to see that he started coming out of his shell and was confident enough to start playing his violin in front of his family.
overall thoughts
The Lucky One was an enjoyable watch for me. Going into it, I knew some details, and because I loved Dear John so much, I had high hopes for this film, especially since it follows a similar trajectory. I was pleasantly surprised and thought the movie was heartwarming, with a few important messages woven throughout.
If you’re a fan of heartfelt romances like Dear John or The Vow, this film is right up your alley.
