The Longest Ride is what happens when a studio exec sees The Notebook and Dear John, and then goes "You see that? Do it again the same, but different."
Scott Eastwood's less mysterious than dad. Clint's got more warrior, Scott's got more lover. Nevertheless! Scott's very Clinty! 'Ride's' the anti-'Fifty Shades of Grey.'
Its theme of cherishing love when it comes your way couldn't be blunter, but on the whole this is one of the better Sparks movies, with even a neat twist in the tale to reward those who last the distance.
Look, it's easy to laugh at this stuff - that's part of the game, in fact. To buy into these movies, you have to buy into the silliness. But The Longest Ride, for all its ridiculousness, comes by its emotions honestly.
The Longest Ride is a weak sauce addition to the Sparks empire, a little better than last year's The Best of Me, but miles below uber-Sparks work The Notebook.
