A Walk to Remember - Spanish Import DVD - Romantic Drama Movie for Date Nights & Family Movie Evenings

A few weeks ago, I caught the last 45 minutes of A Walk to Remember, shown on TV from 8-10pm. I was completely captivated by the story and presentation, and noticed the movie would repeat again from midnight until 2am. So I decided to watch the beginning until the moment I would "catch up." I ended up watching the entire movie, then laid in bed at least another hour thinking about what I had just experienced, both visually and emotionally. As I would need to wake up by 6am, get my son fed and off to school, then get to work myself, at age 62, the night of little sleep and contemplation would "take its toll" on the ensuing day. During my lunchbreak, I went to Best Buy and bought the DVD (it was still being sold), and later ordered the VHS version on Amazon.com (yes we still use our VHS player), as well as the book of the same name by Nicholas Sparks. Having watched the movie on these mediums several times, I discovered just how much of the movie's TV version was cut, no doubt to fit into a 2-hour time-slot with an "avalanche" of commercials. Having watched the complete movie and read the book, I felt compelled to review the movie as, for the first time in my life, I actually preferred the movie version of the story to the book, although both are excellent. Also, both brought me to tears, also a first for either a movie or book.I have nothing negative to say about A Walk to Remember. Its few "cons" are totally overpowered by the sheer wonder and sincerity of this remarkable film, perhaps one of the best ever to come out of Hollywood and Warner Brothers - a monumental feat given its relatively low production budget. The subtle power of this film keeps one thinking about it continuously and wanting to see it again and again. It's a wonderful story about growing up and how one special person can change you forever. It shows how deeply loving someone so totally can transform you to gain the strength to forgive, to accept, to respect, and to accomplish that which you heretofore would never consider. This movie conveys what true love really is, how it can affect people in life and death, and how absolutely beautiful it can really be for those lucky enough to experience it to its deepest level.The movie is so caring and sincere, it subtly draws you into it. It shows a popular in-crowd teenage boy discovering that there is much more to life than reckless, carefree, aimless behavior. When a stupid prank turns harmful, a perpetrator, Landon (one of the lead characters played by Shane West) is "sentenced" to perform community service activities, and these bring him into close contact with Jamie, a non-cool, non-popular nerdy religious girl (the other lead character played by Mandy Moore), who performs the same activities -- by choice. Landon has heretofore always treated Jamie with ridicule and disdain. Though he's known her all his life, through their interaction he suddenly discovers her passion for life, with interests and a depth he never knew existed. He begins to find a new path for his own life, and the ensuing transformation is wonderfully portrayed. The performances of Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote (Jamie's minister father), Daryl Hannah (Landon's single mother), and Lauren German (Landon's former girlfriend), in particular, are extremely touching, beautifully performed and totally genuine.Although the picture's main theme is about Landon and the transformation he undergoes, Jamie is clearly the "anchor" of this movie. She's exceptionally sweet, genuine, innocent, highly intelligent and passionate. She was so interested in astronomy, that she built her own telescope and would venture into their small town cemetery, in the middle of night, to pursue her celestial passion. She did this, not to impress, but for its own sake. Her beliefs in herself are solid and she never changes. She wears no makeup and wears the same low-key, non-fashionable baggy clothes from the beginning, throughout and to the end of the picture. She actually likes who she is -- the way she is. Unlike Landon, her self-image is not based on what others think.She has just enough attitude to not take any disingenuousness from anyone - and when being "toyed" with would often "fire" right back. When Dean (a friend of Landon's and leader of the in-crowd "pack") mockingly asked her why her "Higher Power" could not get her a new sweater (she always wore the same one), she responded, "He's too busy looking for your brain." When Landon humiliated her in front of his peers, she coolly walked away at the time, but when he later came to her for help she calmly slammed the door in his very surprised face. She's a strong figure that "sees through" the behavior and demeanor of her peers and slowly influences them to value her way of existing, more than their own self-centeredness. Her role clearly shows how one individual of virtue and faith can so positively influence those around her, not by preaching or forcing her values, but by example, by simply living her life true to her own beliefs with a positive attitude, and not succumbing to peer pressure forces, no matter how difficult.Landon's role clearly demonstrates the power of forgiveness and how its redemptive qualities can bring about caring unselfish behavior. Landon's in-crowd peers, treating Jamie cruelly at every opportunity (and eventually ostracizing him when he defended her), were eventually forgiven by Landon, and when tragedy struck they were all there to offer their support for him (and ask for forgiveness each in their own way). And in what may be the film's most touching scene (though there are many), Landon essentially forgives his estranged father for leaving his family for another woman, and thanks him for his considerable support in making it possible for Jamie to return home.One leaves this movie with a number of messages. The movie teaches to always be open to new experiences and to never "judge a book by its cover," but to get to know people before judging them. The strongest message, however, is that of being a better more passionate person yourself, and to cherish those around you and the time you have with them. You're left with a sense of true love being so deep and pure that just being with the one you love brings such wonderful joy to your life. You would do anything for that person, even putting your own happiness aside for the sake of theirs. Jamie was able to change an arrogant, self-absorbed teenager into a tender, loving person who was willing to do virtually anything for her - and did!Don't be surprised if you end up falling in love with both Moore's and West's characters. The enduring innocence, sweetness, evolving chemistry and eventual deep love between the movie's leads is genuine, totally heartfelt and compelling - unequaled in any other movie -- period. In the middle of this film are a series of the most incredibly romantic scenes you will ever see in an American firm. They easily flow from scene to beautiful scene, showing two intelligent, thoughtful and sincere people slowly falling for each other. From Casablanca to Love Story to Titanic, no other on-screen pair conveys such an honestly felt passion for each other.Despite the considerable sadness surrounding their romance, the movie leaves the audience with optimism for life, love, faith and the ability for everyone to change, the possibility to become a better person -- at any age. It is a movie with this clear, beautiful and optimistic message. I watch it repeatedly with both joy and melancholy. Perhaps Pulitzer Prize winner Roger Ebert (renowned longtime TV and Chicago-Sun Times film critic) said it best when he concluded in his film review, "A Walk to Remember is a small treasure."