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The Best of Me

  • 2014
  • PG-13
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
79K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,408
390
James Marsden, Michelle Monaghan, Liana Liberato, and Luke Bracey in The Best of Me (2014)
Watch a trailer for The Best of Me featuring music by Lady Antebellum.
Play trailer1:48
42 Videos
84 Photos
Teen RomanceTragedyTragic RomanceDramaRomance

A pair of former high school sweethearts reunite after many years when they return to visit their small hometown.A pair of former high school sweethearts reunite after many years when they return to visit their small hometown.A pair of former high school sweethearts reunite after many years when they return to visit their small hometown.

  • Director
    • Michael Hoffman
  • Writers
    • Nicholas Sparks
    • Will Fetters
    • J. Mills Goodloe
  • Stars
    • James Marsden
    • Michelle Monaghan
    • Luke Bracey
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    79K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,408
    390
    • Director
      • Michael Hoffman
    • Writers
      • Nicholas Sparks
      • Will Fetters
      • J. Mills Goodloe
    • Stars
      • James Marsden
      • Michelle Monaghan
      • Luke Bracey
    • 204User reviews
    • 91Critic reviews
    • 29Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos42

    Special Trailer feat. Lady Antebellum
    Trailer 1:48
    Special Trailer feat. Lady Antebellum
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:40
    Official Trailer
    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:40
    Official Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:28
    Teaser Trailer
    Clip
    Clip 0:49
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 0:53
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 0:56
    Clip

    Photos84

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    + 78
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    Top cast77

    Edit
    James Marsden
    James Marsden
    • Dawson
    Michelle Monaghan
    Michelle Monaghan
    • Amanda
    Luke Bracey
    Luke Bracey
    • Younger Dawson
    Liana Liberato
    Liana Liberato
    • Young Amanda
    Gerald McRaney
    Gerald McRaney
    • Tuck
    Caroline Goodall
    Caroline Goodall
    • Evelyn
    Clarke Peters
    Clarke Peters
    • Morgan Dupree
    Sebastian Arcelus
    Sebastian Arcelus
    • Frank
    Jon Tenney
    Jon Tenney
    • Harvey Collier
    Sean Bridgers
    Sean Bridgers
    • Tommy Cole
    Rob Mello
    Rob Mello
    • Ted Cole
    • (as Robert William Mello)
    Hunter Burke
    Hunter Burke
    • Abee
    Robby Rasmussen
    Robby Rasmussen
    • Bobby…
    Caroline Hebert
    Caroline Hebert
    • Young April
    Ian Nelson
    Ian Nelson
    • Jared
    Schuyler Fisk
    Schuyler Fisk
    • April
    Douglas M. Griffin
    Douglas M. Griffin
    • Jack
    Bill Martin Williams
    Bill Martin Williams
    • Uncle
    • Director
      • Michael Hoffman
    • Writers
      • Nicholas Sparks
      • Will Fetters
      • J. Mills Goodloe
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews204

    6.779.4K
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    Featured reviews

    postmaster-40175

    Terrible and not the acting

    The story line is worthless and you walk away hating the movie, because of the story line. Everything that can happen bad, happens to these two and in the end they are destroyed again......not one positive happens to them in this story. Books and movies are supposed to be entertainment. Yes you can have some bad in movies to, but the whole thing? It's like, you meet your love of your life and she dies, then she's reincarnated and you find each other again and you die and then the kids die and then the cheating husband walks away rich......it's like why would anyone want to watch this. This is not entertainment, this is solely an attempt to make a tear jerker on top of a tear jerker and all they succeed at is making you mad at how disturbingly sadistic the story line is destroying their lives over and over again.
    7petarmatic

    I enjoyed it!

    When my friend asked me out to see this film, I reluctantly agreed. I was very pleasantly surprised. My poor friend aged a lot over time, she looked for all of her life for a true love. She never found it. This film talks exactly about that. One of the lines mentioned is exactly that. Some people find true love, some look for it for whole of their lives and they never find it.

    Acting was OK for this type of film. Actors really tried their best to make this film work. Congratulations to them.

    Plot was nothing special, it was based on a book. It was OK for a romance film. I really liked it.

    I recommend this film, especially if you are looking for a romance film.
    7tavm

    The Best of Me was a pretty enjoyable Nicholas Sparks movie

    So my movie theatre-working friend was getting off from work in the afternoon today and he wanted to see another movie before going to his sister's house to watch the New Orleans-Green Bay football game there. So this was what we ended up seeing. I once again decided to humor him and to tell the truth, this was quite enjoyable despite some familiar clichés like bad boy-liking-good girl-who-he-has-to-break up-with-because-of-his-roots (well, there was more than that but you get the idea). The fact this was filmed and takes place in our home state of Louisiana was a plus for me and my friend as we recognized some town names being mentioned and certain car window stickers in the film. Yes, it's based on a Nicholas Sparks book and it has what you'd possibly expect from him. Still, by the time it all ended, we were both touched by what happened. So on that note, The Best of Me is worth a look.
    8s-quinn_2010

    I Enjoyed This Movie

    I really enjoyed this movie, but I must give a disclaimer... I never read the book, so I can't base my rating on how accurately the movie follows the book. I found that this movie had a lot of twists in it and wasn't as predictable as most other romance movies. (Also, it didn't hurt that James Marsden is great to look at.) I thought the actress who played young Amanda was really good, and I loved seeing the story as the two were growing up & also in modern times. I'm not sure why this movie has gotten so much hate... I thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and would even pay to see it again if I get the chance.

    I was not a fan of The Notebook, and would much rather watch this movie instead of The Notebook. Sure, the movies probably don't follow Nicholas Sparks' books super detailed, but they're good to watch if you're in the mood for a heartfelt love story.
    5A_Different_Drummer

    Two movies for the price of one

    ... which may not necessarily be a good thing.

    Oddly, you divide the two almost at the midway point, that is, the one hour mark.

    The first movie is a really sweet love story about lost love. It features a lot of flashbacks but luckily the actors playing the flashbacks and the actors playing 'real time' are all very competent, do a great job,the script works well, and the audience has a fun ride.

    If the first hour were a movie on its own, I would give it a very strong rating.

    However almost at the turn of the second hour (two hours BTW is much too long for this story) the connection between audience and viewer (this important factor discussed in many of my IMDb reviews) starts to fade as many story complications set in. And the script becomes lost in the various arcs.

    I will not go into the complications but let me say that by the "climax" of the last Act the viewer may wonder if he/she dozed off and woke up in front of the TV watching an episode of JUSTIFIED. Enough said.

    If the second hour were a movie on its own, I would give it a very low rating.

    As an entire movie as it now stands, this film can be a rough ride for the viewer, and that is not a good thing.

    Notes:

    * always happy to see Michelle Monaghan, an actress under-used these days. Real star quality.

    * Liana Liberato has a nice career ahead and better still actually looks like a young Michelle Monaghan, which is more than I can say of the casting choices for the male leads

    * here is a tip for casting directors. FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE. Help you avoid the problem of casting two actors playing the same role (one in flashback) WHO LOOK NOTHING AT ALL LIKE EACH OTHER

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Paul Walker was initially cast in the lead role but after his sudden death from a car accident on November 30, 2013, the role was given to James Marsden. Additionally, both actors were born in September 1973 (along with the late Jason David Frank, Paddy Considine, Shannon Elizabeth and rapper Nas) but were only in six days apart from each other. Nas was born in ten, nine, seven and two days after Frank, Considine, Elizabeth and Walker and was born in four days before Marsden.
    • Goofs
      When Dawson is repairing Amanda's car, he puts his physic book on the motor, then closes the engine hood but without taking the book.
    • Quotes

      Amanda: You want me to fall back in love with you? How do I do that if I haven't ever stopped?

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Derek Jeter/James Marsden/5 Seconds of Summer (2014)
    • Soundtracks
      Down by the Riverside
      Arranged by Jay Weigel

      Performed by Allstar Quartet+1

      Courtesy of Music of Melpomene

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    FAQ18

    • How long is The Best of Me?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 17, 2014 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official Blog
      • Official Facebook
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Lo mejor de mí
    • Filming locations
      • Pearl River, Louisiana, USA(Off Military Rd & Hwy 3081)
    • Production companies
      • DiNovi Pictures
      • Relativity Media
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $26,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $26,766,213
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $10,003,827
      • Oct 19, 2014
    • Gross worldwide
      • $38,609,668
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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