Nicholas Sparks has an enduring audience – his novels are read by those of all age who love romance stories and his books are consistently transformed into successful films. In the case of THE LONGEST RIDE the screenwriter is Craig Bolton and he ha managed to make Sparks' story even more significant and touching than the original book. Much of that is, of course, due to director George Tillman, Jr. and a cast able to create the present and the past with aplomb.
At first the audience may be put off by the violent brutality of bull riding – violent for both the bull and the human rider – but as the story progresses this degree of gut courage and commitment plays well in the film. The story centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke (Scott Eastwood, a significant growth in presence), a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia (Britt Robertson), a college student at Wake Forest in North Carolina who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City's art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with injured Ira Levinson (Alan Alda) whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife (the young Ira being played by Jack Huston and his wife Ruth played by Oona Chaplin) deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining and very parallel love stories, THE LONGEST RIDE explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.
In addition to the mentioned actors, supporting roles are well managed by Lolita Davidovich as Luke's mother and Elea Oberon as Ruth's mother and Kate Forbes as Ira's mother. Mark Isham wrote the musical score. The inclusion of fine art plays a major role, both in the parallel stories of Sophia and Ruth and in the sensitive manner in which the story ends. THE LONGEST RIDE is a sweet and satisfying film.
At first the audience may be put off by the violent brutality of bull riding – violent for both the bull and the human rider – but as the story progresses this degree of gut courage and commitment plays well in the film. The story centers on the star-crossed love affair between Luke (Scott Eastwood, a significant growth in presence), a former champion bull rider looking to make a comeback, and Sophia (Britt Robertson), a college student at Wake Forest in North Carolina who is about to embark upon her dream job in New York City's art world. As conflicting paths and ideals test their relationship, Sophia and Luke make an unexpected connection with injured Ira Levinson (Alan Alda) whose memories of his own decades-long romance with his beloved wife (the young Ira being played by Jack Huston and his wife Ruth played by Oona Chaplin) deeply inspire the young couple. Spanning generations and two intertwining and very parallel love stories, THE LONGEST RIDE explores the challenges and infinite rewards of enduring love.
In addition to the mentioned actors, supporting roles are well managed by Lolita Davidovich as Luke's mother and Elea Oberon as Ruth's mother and Kate Forbes as Ira's mother. Mark Isham wrote the musical score. The inclusion of fine art plays a major role, both in the parallel stories of Sophia and Ruth and in the sensitive manner in which the story ends. THE LONGEST RIDE is a sweet and satisfying film.