We can rag on Nicholas Sparks adaptations all we like, but the fact is the author's brand of paint-by-numbers sappy romances are a cottage industry. It doesn't even really matter who leads them, as they all cost practically nothing, and the Sparks' legion of fans guarantee at least a mid-range box office hit. One director who has benefit more than most is Lasse Hallstrom, who directed Dear John to the tune of $110M+, and now is back for another heaping helping of Sparks with Safe Haven.
Starring Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons(Revolution), and Scott Porter(10 Years), the film follows a mysterious woman named Katie(Hough) who moves into a close-knit North Carolina town, refusing to become a part of their community. With the help of her gorgeous neighbor Alex(Duhamel) she begins to learn how to trust and love again. Dark secrets emerge to throw a curveball into everything, and since this is a Sparks adaptation, somebody you'll learn to care about but ultimately unimportant to the plot will die horribly.
A batch of new photos have been released which go to show how perfect Hough and Duhamel look together. Hopefully these two never mate. It'd set an impossibly high bar for the rest of the gene pool. Safe Haven opens next year on February 8th....
