The Lucky One: Efron Misses the Mark

I feel like the girl who cried wolf, and in this case, Efron.

Anyone that knows me well knows one thing: I love Zac Efron. I’m unabashed about my obsession too…just writing it here should show. So when I sent out a mass text immediately after getting out of The Lucky One…which I saw alone (not because I’m a sad person but because no one had faith in the film or at least this is what I tell myself) no one believed me when I cried (through text): It was great!

Great was an exaggeration, and looking back now, I’d say it was more pretty-darn-good than great. But hey, for another attempt at Nicholas-Sparks-Success, that ain’t bad.  And for all you people out there pointing fingers saying, “But she’s biased! Didn’t she just say she loved-“ Stop. Because, yes, Efron was the weakest part of the film, and I might even go as far as to say he was disappointing. And I just said it.

Making a film based on a novel doesn’t compare. They are, the majority of the time, much better. The characters are intricate, the complexities are prevalent and the plot flows with ease. Perhaps this is why filmmakers keep returning to Mr. Sparks. Aside from the obvious sensation of The Notebook, he is a wonderful romantic storyteller and knows all the pressure points to hit in his audience. This definitely makes his novels and hence his films operate on cliché’s, but with actors that make these cliché’s their own, The Lucky One works.

Logan (Zac Efron) had one thing that kept him alive during his tours as a Marine: Beth (Taylor Schilling). Her picture, he believed, kept him safe and now he must find her and thank her. The story seems predictable, but when he arrives at her home in Louisiana, he ends up taking a job working with Beth’s business and can’t manage to confess the real reason he’s there. Looks like it’s washing and training dogs for a living, not what Logan had planned, but maybe a better opportunity than he could have expected.

At first, Beth finds him annoying. He’s too quiet and too kind to be true. Come to find out Logan also reminds her of a memory she’d rather forget. Beth lost her brother to the war…he was a marine too.

Over time, Logan forms a relationship with Beth’s son Ben, pulling that whole good-with-kids-melt-your-womanly-heart gig. He does it well. Eventually, despite the warnings of her jealous ex-husband Keith, Beth decides to give Logan a try…

In the shower.  Under the canopy. In the attic…

But nothing gold can stay. And Logan’s secret about finding Beth’s picture must come out eventually.

The film follows a format that’s comfortable. You can sit in your seat and go on the ride because the twists and turns feel natural. That’s not a bad thing either, especially because the films trying to be a romantic drama and not the next big indie hit. The problem lies in an unexpected place: Logan.

Is it the character? The writing? The direction…or…gasp! Could it be Zac?! I think it’s a combination of all the above. Logan’s character, at first, is very intriguing. He’s the strong, silent type and we know beneath the surface he’s boiling. We keep waiting to see if he’ll pop. He’s conflicted, but finds strength in his determination to truly thank Beth…he wants more than just to say it and walk away; he wants to protect her. 

But set against the power-house that is Ms. Schilling, Mr. Efron can’t hold his own. His jaw clenches and eye flutters only read so far, and we’re left hungry. Memorable actors illuminate the screen; they suck you in while at the same time requiring you to seek them out. It was a constant battle to understand what Logan was thinking, and at a certain point you just give up…because you don’t care. The story is Beth’s.

Mr. Sparks writes Logan as a wanderer. He walked from Colorado to Louisiana to find Beth. He wakes up in the morning and walks to work and walks home again every night. And it’s a wonder that he’s always traveling…because Logan and Efron never seem to go anywhere. Maybe that’s why Beth’s character is the runner…