Nicholas Sparks has dreamed up a number of films, including Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, and most successfully, The Notebook. They all usually have a similar concept to them, but they are still touching in their own way.

In The Lucky One, Zac Efron plays a Marine named Logan who while serving in Iraq stops to pick up a picture of an attractive woman that was lying on the ground. In that moment, a bomb lands right where he was standing.  Thus, the picture saved his life. Logan determines that when he returns home he is going to track the woman down and thank her for saving his life. He ultimately finds the woman, Beth (Taylor Schilling), but he learns that she has lost her brother in combat. He was also a marine, so Logan doesn’t have the nerve to explain his presence. He takes a job in her family’s dog kennel, and wins over both her grandmother and her young son. Slowly getting over a slight case of PTSD, Logan gains more responsibility and strengthens the kennel business.

Beth and Logan quickly spark an interest in each other and a romance begins. Beth’s ex-husband, a local cop and the son of the town judge, immediately sets out to ruin their romance. He eventually uses Logan’s secret against him, which sparks a drastic turn of events that shapes the rest of the story.

I rate this movie a four out of five. It is expectedly predictable; after every scene you could figure out what would happen next if you’ve seen any other Nicholas Sparks film That, however, is the only downfall of the plot. Other than that, the movie was outstanding and for some even a tear jerker. This is the perfect date movie for any couple who is seeking a romantic night out.