Dear John is an enjoyable romantic drama which has an old fashioned wartime romance feel about it.

The last adaptation from a Nicolas Sparks novel, The Notebook, was a commercial success but had a sickly sweet coating that made it unpalatable at times.

This time in the hands of director Lasse Hallstrom (Chocolat, Cider House Rules, Whats Eating Gilbert Grape) it’s an all together much better effort.

Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried are both very likeable, competent and believable in the lead roles as the couple who are separated when John (Channing) returns to carry out his military duties.

In recent years the trend for movies with war featuring in them has been of the meaty variety, exploring the harsh realites that soldiers face or political aspects that underlie conflicts. So it was refreshing to see a film that dealt with the more emotional side that loved ones must go through. This is obviously heightened in the movie as John and Savannah (Seyfried) quickly fall for each other and then have to deal with living apart and the uncertainty of the future.

Visually the movie looks very elegant throughout aided by the good looking leads. The score works well too with Deborah Lure providing original music. All adding to a highly polished production which without the decent script and dialogue could have made everything feel a little too picture  perfect but the balance achieved felt just right.

Would highly recommend to those who enjoy their romantic love stories and also those who enjoy feel good dramas which are not too soppy.