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AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SERVING THE GW COMMUNITY SINCE 1904

The GW Hatchet

Serving the GW Community since 1904

The GW Hatchet

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Officials name senior vice president, chief of staff
By Fiona Riley, Assistant News Editor • March 26, 2024

What We’re Watching

Hatchet reporter Julie Alderman shares her latest movie experience.

"The Lucky One." Photo used under the Creative Commons License

The Lucky One” (2012)

Seeing “The Lucky One” is like going to an 8 a.m. lecture; you don’t want to go but you do for fear that you’ll miss something.

But upon arriving to class, you realize the material could have been found elsewhere and you wonder why you didn’t just stay in your bed and sleep.

“The Lucky One,” based off the novel by Nicholas Sparks, centers around Logan (Zac Efron), a former Marine who, when on a tour of duty in Iraq, finds a picture of girl which he believes gives him the luck he needs to survive. He embarks on a journey to find and thank Beth (Taylor Schilling). He finds himself working with her at a pet motel in Louisiana, ultimately realizing his feelings for her extend beyond gratitude.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Nicholas Sparks formula, let me fill you in. A boy meets a girl, both carrying emotional baggage. Despite their turbulent pasts, the boy and girl find love. Cue a quick steamy make-out scene in the shower, a tense argument or two, and finally, a romantic resolution. One hundred minutes and $12 later, you realize this predictable plot line is nothing you haven’t seen before.

Lovers of the cheesy, romantic genre will adore this movie. But, the critical side of me looks at movies like “The Lucky One” and can’t help but scoff. Logan goes to unrealistic lengths to seek out Beth, migrating from Colorado to Louisiana on foot. This seems like the action of a stalker, not a future boyfriend.

Overall, here’s the deal. If you like books by Nicholas Sparks or if you like movies based off of his other books, you’ll enjoy this film. If you don’t, spend your money and time elsewhere.

Genre: Drama
Director: Scott Hicks
Cast: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner
Release Date: April 20

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