Shubhabrata Dutta
While Nicholas Sparks has made a mark in the modern romance genre in books, there is a lot more to his stories, which makes them so unique and heartfelt. Sparks himself has rejected being addressed as a romance novelist as his books explore themes of pain, loss, obsession, desire, sacrifice, and more. Many of his books have been adapted for the screen and become romantic classics with a dedicated fan base across the globe. Here, we bring you the best Nicholas Sparks movies you can stream on Hulu, Prime, and Max.
7. The Last Song (2010)
Directed by Julie Anne Robinson, this film follows rebellious teenager Veronica “Ronnie” Miller (Miley Cyrus) who, along with her younger brother Jonah (Bobby Coleman), lives with their divorced mother (Kelly Preston). Ronnie hates her father (Greg Kinnear) but the siblings are sent to the beach town to spend the summer with him and perhaps reconnect. The only thing Ronnie shares with her father is their love for music, especially their mutual talent for piano. But will this help Ronnie get close to her father like they once were when she was a kid? Not without the help of a local guy named Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth), who helps her rediscover herself. To join Ronnie in her journey of rediscovery, you can watch ‘The Last Song’ on Hulu.
6. The Longest Ride (2015)
Can dreams come in the way of love? Many movies, including La La Land, have shown how careers adversely affect relationships. In ‘The Longest Ride,’ Nicholas Sparks attempts to answer this question by telling us how love can stand the test of time only if we want it to. Directed by George Tillman Jr., the film follows former bull-riding champion Luke (Scott Eastwood) and college student Sophia (Britt Robertson), who are in love. However, their separate career paths pose a threat to their togetherness. This is when an elderly guy named Ira (Alan Alda) enters their lives, making them understand how to maneuver their love just like he did with his beloved wife. If you, too, are looking for a way to rekindle the spark with your beloved, this film might help. You can watch it on Max.
5. Safe Haven (2013)
An emotional and touching movie garnished with a touch of the supernatural, ‘Safe Haven’ follows Katie, who moves to Southport, North Carolina, to start a new life. She befriends Jo, her neighbor, and a man named Alex, who is a widowed father who works at a local general store. As days go by, Katie and Alex begin courtship, which Alex’s children are also happy about since Katie becomes a mother figure for them. However, things take a dark turn when Alex finds the wanted poster of a woman who looks exactly like Katie. Soon, a suspended police detective named Kevin arrives at Southport looking for her. What secret is Katie hiding? Will it push Alex away from her? Or will she be helped by someone close to her but whom she never expected to? A beautiful movie based on one of Sparks’ bestsellers, ‘Safe Haven’ is directed by Lasse Hallström and stars Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, and David Lyons. You can watch it on Max.
4. Nights in Rodanthe (2008)
Starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane, this emotional and moving film follows two strangers, Adrienne, whose husband has left her for another woman, and Paul, a doctor, who is dealing with the death of his patient who died during surgery. They meet at a seaside inn in Rodanthe, North Carolina, and during their stay, provide each other with emotional support. This slowly becomes an unexpected romance that feels timeless even when they are away from each other until one day, Paul’s estranged son arrives at Adrienne’s door carrying a box. To discover what was inside that box, you can watch ‘Nights in Rodanthe,’ directed by George C. Wolfe, On Max.
3. Dear John (2010)
A romance that crosses paths with war, ‘Dear John’ follows the romance of John, a soldier, and Savannah, a college student working with an NGO to make affordable housing. They are separated after John gets drafted but share everything via letters, a promise they made before John left. Unfortunately, John’s months in the field turn to years after 9/11, and a day comes six years after they last saw each other when he receives a letter from Savannah saying she is engaged. Is this the end of their story? The short answer is no. John loses his father. Savannah loses her husband. How these two tragedies are connected is what makes this romance one of a kind. To make things more effective, we have Channing Tatum as John and Amanda Seyfried as Savannah. Don’t they seem like the perfect couple to exchange love letters? Directed by Lasse Hallström, ‘Dear John’ can be watched on Hulu.
2. The Notebook (2004)
From director Nick Cassavetes comes another cult classic starring Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, and James Marsden. We follow Allie (McAdams), a heiress deeply in love with Noah, a lumber mill worker. As fate would have it, they are separated due to societal class differences. Noah eventually enlists in the army while Allie grows feelings for a guy named Lon Hammond Jr. (Marsden). Just when it seems that Allie is finally ready to remove Noah from her life forever, she sees his picture in the newspaper, and what should have been an easy step becomes the most painful as she has to decide between Noah and Marsden. But the question is, does Noah feel the same for her after so long? Told as a story from a 1940s notebook, ‘The Notebook’ has made it to the all-time best romance dramas list. You can watch the film on Prime.
1. A Walk To Remember (2002)
Starring Shane West and Mandy Moore, ‘A Walk To Remember’ is one of the most beloved rom-com ever. The film is directed by Adam Shankman and adapted from Sparks’ 1999 eponymous novel. It follows Shane West’s Landon and Mandy Moore’s Jamie, both high schoolers, who fall for each other after meeting at community service. They lie on the opposite sides of the spectrum, Landon being cool and popular, Jamie being quiet and introverted. As love blooms and feelings are exchanged, Landon discovers that his time with Jamie is limited owing to a tragic truth. They can either embrace it and make their remaining moments memorable or spend them in despair. You can watch ‘A Walk to Remember’ here to know what the secret is.
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