The Lucky One: Running Off of Way More than Luck

A  Marine, thrown into the middle of a raging war, is trying to stay alive. He witnesses the brutal deaths of two fellow Marines before escaping into the daylight after a night raid. He’s disoriented. As he rests, he notices a glint in the sunlight. Upon further investigation, he discovers it’s a photograph. He picks it up, reading the words on the back. “Keep safe,” it reads, with a cross etched beneath it. On the flip side, there is a photo of a girl, blonde and smiling. This is how Logan’s story begins.

As for the movie itself, it starts with immediate action. The viewer will get sucked in quickly while the intensity of war grips the room. After a few violent scenes, the actors begin to allude towards the idea that he is only alive because of that single photograph. It sends Logan (who is played by the always rugged-looking Zac Efron) on a search for the owner, but he doesn’t have any luck. Whoever first had this picture is no longer around.

As with any war veteran, it’s obvious that there will be issues that stick with Logan long after he returns home. He comes back to live with his sister and her “active” boys, whose loud video games and constant rowdiness cause something to happen to Logan that looks quite a bit like post-traumatic stress disorder. Although this is not unexpected, it does leave the audience hanging. The theme doesn’t continue throughout the story, and quickly disappears as soon as he leaves the family. While that kind of healing would be ideal, it just isn’t realistic.

The term “The Lucky One” is (thankfully) not overemphasized in the overall story. Logan hints at it when he has his solo-speaking moments over scenic views, but the rest is left for the audience to interpret.

“Kid-friendly” isn’t exactly a term that I’d use to describe the whole movie, but most of the scenes are generally appropriate. Still, Hollywood must be Hollywood, so they managed to slip in a few questionable scenes. The elderly women sitting beside me were horrified to the point of reaching over to cover my eyes during a few scenes. It’s not enough to be worth an R-rating, but I suggest sticking to PG-13 or possibly even higher.

Of course, all the girls want to know how cute Zac Efron looked with short hair and dog tags. The answer is very good-looking, indeed. It’s one of those movies you’ll be swooning at every time he romances his stubborn love-interest into a kiss. Get ready to start feeling very jealous.

Since the movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks book, it’s bound to be a tear-jerker. Anyone who has seen “The Last Song” or “A Walk to Remember” knows that. It’s not a sob-worthy movie, but I definitely found a couple tears rolling down my face during those heart-breaking scenes.

“The Lucky One” is a romance that’ll make you want to call your significant other the second the credits hit the screen. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll be saying “aww!” every five seconds. It truly is the perfect date night movie. The movie is, however, fairly predictable. But, what good love story isn’t? On a scale of one to ten, I’d give it an 8. Take time this weekend and go see it, especially if you’re a sucker for a good romance. It is definitely worth your time.