The Lucky One

Logan (Zac Efron) is a marine in Iraq. He is drawn to a photo of Beth (Taylor Schilling) with the words "keep safe" written on the back. As he examines the photo, an explosion occurs just where he was before. Everybody considers the photo a lucky charm. He returns home after 3 tours suffering from PTSD. He decides to track down Beth. He can't quite explain his reason for coming when she just assumes that he's looking for a job at her dog kennel. Beth thinks that he's crazy but her grandmother Ellie (Blythe Danner) gives him the job anyways. Beth is divorced from angry jealous police deputy Keith Clayton (Jay R. Ferguson) and they have a son together. Soon, Logan befriends Ellie and the boy while annoying Beth. The photo is the property of Beth's brother who didn't make it back from Iraq.

I like Zac Efron and Taylor Schilling individually. They are able to salvage some chemistry. The problem is that the whole setup feels forced. It's not simply the way it's written but also the way it's shot. Everything feels slightly fake. This is a Nicholas Sparks after all. The biggest problem is that Logan is a little too precious with his secret about the photo. It's better if he stops trying to tell it and leave it as an internal struggle. Some things are better left to the audience's imagination or even without reason. Nevertheless, I like both leads and I can't help but pull for them.