Two out of Five stars
Running time: 98 mins

Lane and Gear have strong chemistry and the scenery is spectacular but the film is ultimately let down by an unsatisfying, overly sentimental script.

What's it all about?
Based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks, Nights in Rodanthe stars Diane Lane as Adrienne, a recently separated mother who's gobsmacked when her cheating husband (Christopher Meloni) tells her that he wants to come home. To get her head together, she agrees to manage a beachside boarding house for her best friend (Viola Davis) in Rodanthe, on North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Since it's the storm-heavy off-season, the boarding house only has one guest, in the form of solitary surgeon Paul (Richard Gere), who's come to Rodanthe to make amends for a recent tragedy. And when a storm hits the boarding house, Adrienne and Paul find themselves drawn to each other and romantic sparks start to fly.

The Good
After Under the Tuscan Sun, Diane Lane seems to be carving out a real niche for herself in the middle-aged-romance-in-picturesque-locations genre. The beachside boarding house is a stunning location (although, sadly, not a real boarding house) and the Outer Banks should probably brace themselves for an influx of tourists as a result of the film.

The performances are good and there's genuine chemistry between Lane and Gere, even if the emotionally distant Paul doesn't seem like much of a catch. There's also strong support from Scott Glenn (as a widower with a connection to Paul) and Mae Whitman as Adrienne's stroppy teenage daughter.

The Bad
This is the third time that Lane and Gere have been paired together onscreen (The Cotton Club, Unfaithful), so it's no surprise that their chemistry is so strong. Unfortunately, the script gives them very little to work with, resorting to an outpouring of cheap sentimentality and unearned emotion, which leads to a rushed ending that misses the emotional mark.

Worth seeing?
Lane and Gear ensure that Nights in Rodanthe is never less than watchable, but it's scuppered by an overly sentimental script and fails to deliver the required emotional punch.