Is The Longest Ride Too Long or Not Long Enough?

The Longest Ride, Nicholas Sparks’ newest love novel, is about a young couple trying to navigate a relationship together despite their numerous differences. But viewers of all ages across the country have been questioning if it is too much like every other love story out there.

Luke Collins is a bull-riding champion from North Carolina who meets Sophia Danko, a Wake Forest University student, at a PBR competition. The two hit it off and begin seeing each other until Sophia tells Luke that she is soon to be moving to New York where she will pursue her art career. Despite their very different backgrounds and career paths, Sophia and Luke get closer and closer. However, with the several challenges that come their way, their relationship is often rocky and frequently questioned.

The Longest Ride recently hit theaters on April 10th, 2015 and stars Scott Eastwood as Luke Collins and Britt Robertson as Sophia Danko. Reviews have been a very wide range from hoping for a sequel to considering it a waste of money. After reading these reviews and observing the mere 28% it received on Rotten Tomatoes, I did not go into the film with very high expectations.

As I entered the theater with my mother, I glanced around and wasn’t surprised to see that not one seat was filled. I looked down at my watch and read 6:49–approximately 20 minutes before the movie was supposed to start. There were a few stragglers who came in a little while later, but the theater was far from crowded.

A group of middle-aged women gathered in the row before mine and whispered about what they’ve heard of the film.

“My daughter said it was a typical Nicholas Sparks film–sappy and predictable,” one woman said to the rest of the group.

As a viewer who read the book prior to seeing the movie, I found the book much better. Typically films have to cut out details and scenes to eliminate wasted time, which in my opinion takes away some of the intricacy the book has to offer.

Some details of Sophia’s father’s diner were left out, along with several of the less important characters’ personality traits. A major part of Luke’s mother in the book was her love for baking and the constant smell of pie that filled her house. However, his mother played a much smaller role in the movie and her passion for baking was only spoken of one time in passing.

My opinion of the actors differed for each role. Robertson seemed too immature for the role of Sophia, and I heard several others around the theater say the same thing. Eastwood portrayed Luke as very similar to the Luke I imagined while reading the novel. Alan Alba, who played Ira Levinson, an elderly friend of Sophia and Luke, was the strongest actor in the film. He did a great job of bringing past memories to life while managing to stay in the present without losing the audience.

The Longest Ride may not have been so popular among film critics, but that hasn’t seemed to stop the excitement of the students of Arrowhead.

I have heard the title come up in several conversations around the halls and have many friends who spend their lunch hour discussing plans to see the film.

Cristina Betancourt, an Arrowhead senior, brought up the film in conversation to friends at lunch.

“I heard it got really bad reviews, but I’m still really excited to go to The Longest Ride this weekend. I loved the book, so I can’t wait to see it on screen,” she said.

Overall The Longest Ride has gotten mixed reviews and opinions. My advice is if you enjoy a love story that still captures several action scenes, The Longest Ride is for you.