By: Holley Sinn

Verdict: Denied

I have never been a fan of Nicholas Sparks.  It's not that I don't admire the guy's writing style or the way he can turn out tear-jerkers one after the other...annually without fail.  He seems to have a tremendous work ethic.  I'm just not a fan of  schmaltzy, overly dramatic love stories, and he is the master of exactly that.  "Dear John" is his nod to the teen and twenty-something set, and despite the seasoned lens of director Lasse Hallstrom, it is more sap than substance.

The lovely Amanda Seyfried plays "Savannah", a college co-ed on spring break in a North Carolina beach town.  Heartthrob Channing Tatum plays "John", a solider on leave from Afghanistan, visiting his father in that same town.  When John saves Savannah's handbag from a watery doom, the two immediately form a bond which, over the course of two weeks, turns into full blown love.

When John heads back over seas and Savannah returns to school, the two commit to writing letters which helps to feed their growing relationship.  However, the events of September 11th, 2001 compell John to reenlist, and after some effort at keeping their love alive, Savannah bails on the long distance affair to marry another.  With a broken heart and a bullet in his chest, John battles back from injury just in time to be with his father in his final days following a stroke. 

During his bereavement leave, John and Savannah reconnect, but John's higher sense of love and purpose lead him to a decision which would divide him from his love once again.  The direction the story takes here is pretty typical of a Nicholas Sparks work...while "The Notebook" may have been spread out over a greater period of time, you're looking at parallel idea, only set in the modern age.  "Dear John" is sweet...perhaps a little too much so, which makes it perfect for the candy-loving teen set, but not fulfilling enough for those of us with more experienced palates.

I'm not going to approved "Dear John", but I will say, it is perfectly safe for teenage viewing, and the two leads are simply adorable.  It's rated PG-13 for some mild language and a sexual encounter, and it opens today in theaters all over the bay area.