In a brief but tone-changing scene in The Vow, Jessica Lange plays things out with an attitude of “OK-I’ve-had-enough-of-this-fluff//pay-attention-now-if-you’d-like-to-see-some-real-acting.” In the scene the award-winning actress gives her daughter (Rachel McAdams) a passionate explanation for Lange’s ostensible weakness in her relationship with her alpha lawyer husband (Sam Neill). In this Romcom, specially served for Valentine’s Day, Lange’s character stands out for the self-awareness of her motivations. In the case of forgetful McAdams and husband Channing Tatum, they mostly go around clueless and lighthearted. In McAdams’ case, she’s got a good reason.
A car accident rendered her semi-amnesiac. She remembers everything up until Tatum (which honestly is probably the best thing that could ever happen to someone), everything until she ran off from law school and doting parents to the big city (Chicago) to do art. When she first comes to she thinks Tatum is her doctor rather than her husband and she doesn’remember being a sculpturess either. Her and Tatum’s time together after the accident reeks of what seems countless other movies with this setup. So what we have here is not only a portrait of a person trapped in amnesia but a movie itself trapped in amnesia.
In the film’s favor McAdams (Midnight in Paris) can be infectiously quirky in a pretty decent way and Tatum actually surprises here amidst not the highest of expectations. What bears scrutiny, however, is the somewhat peachy, high on froth screenplay. Not feeling real is one thing. Verging on gasbag garrulousness is quite another.
Romantic?
Come on….. Only to the extent The Vow, certainly not by anything it actually deals with head-on, does get one to think about some heady issues. After the accident McAdams is totally different from the bohemian carefree spirit depicted in flashbacks of marital bliss with Tatum. Regressing back to the lulling pull of her parents, she not only looks and acts a hundred times straighter, she even confesses to a James Patterson novel (gasp) when asked her favorite book. She’s nothing like the person Tatum knew and loved, yet his affection is unmoved by the changes. McAdams ex-boyfriend is suddenly back in her life and since the end of her memories extend to just before their breakup she’s not only smitten with him, but he with her despite a nasty breakup she apparently brought on. Neither of these guys is moved by McAdams going through changes to rival Jekyll and Hyde. Love is all you need (and McAdams’ rosy good looks.)
So we’ll wait for another movie for anything more complex on the relative natures of identity, affection and radical personality change. Myself, I think the last scene in Almodovar’s The Skin I Live comes pretty close come to think of it.
Tatum owns a recording studio which he never bothers to check up on while waiting an interminable amount of time for McAdams to come out of her coma. His female sidekick there gives him advice on getting his wife to fall in love with him again….”What does she like in bed?” she asks.”Tickling,” he reluctantly admits. “Try that” she says. He does. It doesn’t work.
Neither does the film much of the time. But, hey, it’s Valentine’s Day. Can’t exactly rush out and see A Separation or Carnage just to avoid broad sentimentality pulled out of equally broad plot holes, right? Well, wait. If you did you’d get relationships authentic to the point that you’ll at least know any truths to be gained will give substantial insight instead of a brief sugar rush.
5 sugar rushes (out of 10)