Here in quarantine, many of us find ourselves with an enormous amount of time on our hands and fewer activities to fill it with. What better way to spend time at home than watching movies? One of my newest favorite movies is The Vow, starring Channing Tatum from 21 Jump Street and Rachel McAdams from Mean Girls. This film did not get much critical acclaim, but I would like to show why it should be given a second chance, especially since many of us have nothing better to do currently. This review will only give the slightest of spoilers, meaning that the overall arch of the story and its underlying messages will be appreciated, but I will do my best to leave most of the big secrets untouched. Still, if you are a person who prefers to have everything be a secret, read this after you watch the film.
What would you do if one day your spouse forgot who you were—all the memories of you two, simply erased, with no hope of ever returning? The Vow takes a true story of this exact concept and gives it life. One of the main reasons I enjoy this film is because, for those who can watch closely, there is so much meaning and profundity in each scene. For example, Leo (Channing Tatum) brings up the notion of “moments of impact.” These are moments, such as the accident that caused his wife Paige’s (Rachel McAdams) brain damage, that ripple far beyond what we can predict. They have the potential to change everything. In an attempt to “jog” Paige’s memories of her recent life, she is released from the hospital to her apartment that she shares with Leo. What transpires is a beautiful story that explores the difficulties of re-introducing yourself to your wife, something that most of us will thankfully never have to do.
Since the movie is called The Vow, we should talk about the remarkable flashbacks to Paige and Leo’s wedding. Departing far from the traditional vows of “till death do us part” and so on, the words that were spoken at the wedding were so poetic and indulgent, depicting a relationship that you desperately hope will return to its previous normality. Some of my favorites are: “I vow to help you love life” and “to live within the warmth of your heart and always call it home.” Despite the fact that The Vow begins at a terrible moment that leads to Paige losing all memories from the past few years, including her relationship with Leo, we are shown that it is possible for people to work their way back to each other, especially when the relationship’s foundation is incredibly strong.
The Vow showed me that the decisions we make in our life run deep. Many times, they rely on a core part of ourselves, such as an innate creative quality, rather than a temporary situation. Before she met Leo, Paige decided to change her path in graduate school. After the accident, her parents attempted to get her back on her initial path, as it was more prestigious. But it was as if the universe knew she had diverted from her true path. Very quickly, she decided to change back to the path she chose before the accident. This is one of the biggest things I love about The Vow: it tells us that we will find our way, even if we get lost or take detours.
Finding her way back to Leo takes more time, of course. Even though she did not remember Leo in any way, their connection and chemistry never changed. It was there the day Paige met Leo, and it was also there after her accident. Paige and Leo found their way back to harmony and it’s up to you to decide for yourself why this may be. As Leo says in his vows, “No matter what challenges might carry us apart, we will always find a way back to each other.”
If you love films with deep and rich meaning, or you enjoy romantic films that are not cheesy but evoke senses of reality that are found in relationships, then this film is worth your time. The Vow can be found on the STARZ app. Stay healthy and safe, Camels!•
