Practising to Cambridge English — Proficiency — Review

A Walk to Remember — The book and the film

A Walk to Remember is a dramatic love story between two teenagers in their high-school years. Jamie Sullivan, played by the actress and singer Mandy Moore, is the pastor’s daughter of a small town in the USA, the perfect girl who wears rather old-fashioned clothes and seems too perfect for someone her age. On the other hand, Landon Carter, played by Shane West, is the typical playboy who is just living life recklessly. To no one’s surprise, they will obviously fall in love.

In the book by Nicholas Sparks, Landon’s character is not as careless and unsympathetic as in the film. However, both focus on the impossible love that grows between the teens and even though Carter does not seem interested in nourishing a feeling for Jamie, once they start to become friendly, she warns him that falling for her is a terrible idea which has him wondering why.

As time passes, the inevitable happens and the puritan girl and the boy with a faulty reputation become more than friends. With this relationship comes the sad revelation — Jamie suffers from leukaemia and her chances of survival are extremely low. Knowing that her biggest dream is to get married in the same church as her parents, her boyfriend moves heaven and earth to realise it.

The most emotional moment and the one that will have even the hardest of hearts soften is the one of their wedding. Jamie walks down the aisle clearly ill but with a lovely smile seeing that her dream was coming true. A few days later she sadly passes away and we are taken to the final scene. Years later, the once immature boy who now answers as Dr Carter pays a visit to his father-in-law and both the screen and written versions end with his message of love’s changing power.

Even with the discrepancies between book and film, I recommend both. They will give you a good cry but will leave you hopeful about what love can do. (338)