ROMANCE; PG, 1hr 44min

STARRING: Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum

“Moments of impact” can redefine lives, especially, as in The Vow, when that impact is a serious collision. Paige (McAdams) and Leo (Tatum) have been an idyllically happy Chicago couple for four years when a truck slams into the rear of their parked car, sending Paige through the windscreen and into another world. Suffering brain trauma, she has no memory of her husband or her life as a sculptor.

Bizarre and disconcerting times lie ahead as the fractured pair confront a seemingly unbridgeable gap, with Paige reverting to the preppy law student she used to be, pre-Leo (Jessica Lange and Sam Neill play her possessive parents, Scott Speedman her now-hopeful ex). No surprise that the concept is a credible grabber: it’s suggested by real events. When the tempo lacks energy, the atmosphere tends to flatline. Still, Leo’s steadfast devotion (He loves her! He really loves her!) and Paige’s frustrated bewilderment are compelling. You’ll want him to win her over, though you might want him to hurry up about it.

Andiee's Rating: ***

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