Junior’s Rating *** out of *****

Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Christopher Meloni, Viola Davis, Becky Ann Baker, Scott Glenn

I’ve always had trouble grasping the benefits of a good cry.  Obviously, there must be enough moviegoers who find this practice therapeutic or Hollywood wouldn’t keep giving us tearjerkers like Nights in Rodanthe.  So, for those of you who find uncontrolled sobbing a cleansing experience, Nights in Rodanthe gives you everything you could possibly want in a love story—and then some.  Richard Gere and Diane Lane are back together again as strangers who become lovers for a weekend, and then try to sustain their affections during challenging circumstances.  We’ve seen what this charismatic couple can do before and they do not disappoint in their third on screen pairing, but I can’t get beyond the film’s gloomy and extended finale to enjoy their fine work. For the hanky brigade, Nights in Rodanthe might be a perfect outing. For the rest of us, it’s just sappy.