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There are three things Nicholas Sparks knows how to do exceptionally well when it comes to storytelling: stir up emotions, set a beautiful scene, and crush readers' spirits as soon as they become invested in the characters. The author's formula has clearly worked. In 1993, he published his first and most revered novel, The Notebook. And ever since, Hollywood has been swift to turn his love stories into blockbuster movies. Here are 11 of his best book-to-movie adaptations.
1
The Notebook
The Notebook incorporates a story within a story and follows Allie Calhoun (Rachel McAdams) and Noah (Ryan Gosling), who engage in a summer fling in North Carolina. Thankfully, their relationship doesn't burn out once the season transitions, making audiences fall for the couple that defies age and illness. 15 years after its release, fans still remain amused and heartbroken upon every watch.
2
A Walk to Remember
By the time you get to the tragic ending of Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) and Landon Carter's (Shane West) love story, this 2002 classic will already have you in your feels. Moore delivers big on the vocals, while West brings the charm as the resident bad boy. The on-screen couple recently sent Twitter into a frenzy when they reunited at Moore's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, reminding us of Sparks's endearing love story.
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3
The Longest Ride
In The Longest Ride, famed director Clint Eastwood's son, Scott Eastwood, pulls the reins of the 2015 drama. He plays Luke Collins, a stubborn bull rider who starts a relationship with an art enthusiast name Sophia Danko (Britt Robertson). Veteran actor Alan Alda also gives a brilliant performance as an ailing old man reflecting back on his life, while simultaneously inspiring the young couple with his stories. It's one of the best derivative works since The Notebook.
4
Safe Haven
Part of what makes Safe Haven enjoyable is that the 2013 movie is evenly paced. The lead characters, Katie (Julianne Hough) and widowed father Alex (Josh Duhamel), don't just fall head over heels for each other the first time they meet. There's build-up to their relationship, and it's well worth the wait. The movie also addresses domestic abuse, which Hough convincingly portrays as a fearful ex-wife. Although Alex is poised to play her knight in shining armor, Katie actually ends up rescuing and saving him and his two children instead.
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5
The Best of Me
In this 2014 film, former high school sweethearts Amanda (Michelle Monaghan) and Dawson (James Marsden) reunite in their hometown as adults. Of course, The Best of Me would rank a little higher on our list if we only critiqued the first half of the movie. However, unlike most of the adaptations here, this one is actually better at times than the book. Audiences get to see how their relationship developed from kids to adults.
6
The Choice
Gabby (Teresa Palmer) moves in next door to Travis (Benjamin Walker), a guy she initially finds annoying. But as you might've guessed, she ends up falling for him. It helps that the movie is divided into two digestible parts, as opposed to flashbacks and flash-forward scenes that often dominate Sparks's films. Per the usual, the movie predominantly takes place in a small coastal town. The scenery makes it an enjoyable two hours, even if it's textbook romance.
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7
Message in a Bottle
In this 1999 flick, single mother Theresa (Robin Wright) discovers a message in a bottle while on vacation at the beach. The sentiment was meant for a woman named Catherine, but Theresa goes on a hunt to find the lady the letter is addressed to, which leads her to Garret (Kevin Costner). It's sentimental, sure. But the best thing about the film, besides the coupling of Costner and Wright, is that it doesn't include a predictable fairy tale ending.
8
Dear John
If nothing else, Dear John will make you long for the days when the only form of communication was letter-writing. While on military leave in Charleston, South Carolina, John Tyree (Channing Tatum) becomes involved with college student Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried). It's a difficult watch, recalling the tragedy of 9/11. However, the ending falls short and doesn't resemble the book, including the characters' appearances. But, hey, at least there's a shirtless Channing throughout the film to keep purists distracted.
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9
The Lucky One
Sparks's movies and books beautifully portray the South, and with The Lucky One's Louisiana setting, it's no different. The 2012 romance film features the incomparable Blythe Danner in the role of Ellie, the grandmother of Beth (Taylor Schilling). Zac Efron also stars as Logan, a former marine, who seeks out to find a mysterious woman from a photo who he believes is his good luck charm. The Lucky One is worth watching because, unlike most Sparks adaptations, it actually has a happy ending.
10
Nights in Rodanthe
After appearing in 2002's erotic thriller Unfaithful, Richard Gere and Diane Lane teamed up again in 2008 for this one. This time around, though, their relationship is a lot less sinister. Paul (Gere) and Adrienne (Lane) find themselves in love after they randomly become acquainted at a beach house in North Carolina. It's definitely a sappy story with a cliché ending, but the duo have an undeniable chemistry, which affirms to mature audiences that love is ageless.
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11
The Last Song
Before they became husband and wife in December 2018, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth starred in this heartwarming adaptation together. Cyrus plays Ronnie Miller, a troubled New York City teenager who is sent to live with her estranged dad, Steve Miller (Greg Kinnear), in Georgia for the summer. Cyrus and Hemsworth make sweet music together in the film, however, a lot of the charming moments from the book unfortunately didn't make it into the film.
Michelle Darrisaw
Culture & News Writer
Michelle is the Culture & News Writer for OprahMag.com, where she writes about celebrities (she considers herself an expert on Beyoncé and Reese Witherspoon), plus the latest in pop-culture news, binge-worthy TV shows, and movies. The transplanted Southerner turned ambitious New Yorker lives her best life by listening to hip-hop and Pod Save America, watching The Office on repeat, quoting Oprah-isms, eating dessert before dinner, and avoiding avocado. Seriously, she doesn’t get the hype.
It should say, “Michelle is the former Culture & News Writer for Oprahmag.com...”
