A Tale of Family, Friendship, Secrets and Salvation
Best-Selling Novelist Nicholas Sparks Hits a High Note in Latest Endeavor
Writer Nicholas Sparks became a literary superstar in 1996 when overwhelming word of mouth made his novel, “The Notebook, a publishing phenomenon. Sparks’ inspirational stories about the extraordinary lives and loves of ordinary people have won a worldwide audience, and his latest novel “The Last Song, is no exception, debuting at No. 1 on both the New York Times and USA Today best-seller lists.
Sparks’ deep, sometimes funny and always affecting books have become the basis for a powerful movie franchise. His bittersweet love stories have inspired box-office hits and critical favorites that include “Message in a Bottle, starring Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn; “A Walk to Remember, starring Mandy Moore; “The Notebook starring Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams; “Nights in Rodanthe, starring Richard Gere and Diane Lane; and most recently, “Dear John, starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum. A film adaptation of his novel “The Lucky One is scheduled for release in 2011.
At its heart, “The Last Song is a poignant journey for a father and daughter who have lost touch with each other and are struggling to find a way back. At the same time, it explores the uncharted territory of young love, as the emotionally closed off Ronnie begins to let down her guard with a boy she meets during summer vacation.
Greg Kinnear, who plays Steve Miller, Ronnie’s father, says Sparks deals with the joy and challenges of maintaining family bonds head on. “I read the script and I was so touched by it, he says. “Nicholas Sparks has an incredible sensitivity towards families. He’s written an interesting story about people who at the onset seem to have very little chance of connecting. In the end, not everything is tied up in a perfect bow-which is a lot like real life.
Like his previous work, “The Last Song is a love story, says Sparks, “but it’s not a romance novel, he cautions. “This is not a dreamy fantasy. It is about real love on a number of levels-the love between a parent and child, young love blooming for the first time, the fondness and caring between mature adults.
For director Julie Anne Robinson, who has earned a trio of BAFTA and Golden Globe(R) nominations for her work on British television, the film’s simple story reflects the writer’s profound understanding of human emotions. “It reminds me of classic films like ‘Splendor in the Grass,’ says Robinson. “’THE LAST SONG’ is about forgiveness and redemption, about people who were once separated being brought together, and it’s about love. It’s about the fragility of human relationships and also how those fragile bonds, once broken, can be mended.
The film’s uplifting themes reflect the author’s personal outlook on life. “There are a lot of themes in ‘THE LAST SONG,’ Sparks says. “You’ve got faith, forgiveness, family-if you get it just right, these are themes that touch viewers, because they recognize them in their own lives.
Sparks traces the beginnings of “The Last Song to a conversation he had with producer Jennifer Gibgot, who was looking for a project that would allow teen star Miley Cyrus to showcase her dramatic abilities. “I had just finished writing ‘The Lucky One,’ he remembers. “And I was making a decision about what I was going to write next. I try to vary the ages of the characters and their dilemmas to keep the work fresh and interesting for me, as well as for the readers. I’d recently written a couple of novels with characters who were anywhere from 20 to 50 years old, so I was leaning toward writing about a teenage character, which I hadn’t done since ‘A Walk to Remember.’
As he began formulating his next step, Gibgot called. “She asked if I had anything sitting around that that Miley Cyrus might like, Sparks says. “Well, I didn’t have anything sitting around. I’m not that prolific. But she told me Miley loved ‘A Walk to Remember,’ so I really put some thought into it and took five or six weeks to develop this story.
Sparks presented the producers with a fun, yet emotionally driven father-daughter story. “Both the screenplay and the novel were written with Miley very much in mind, he says. “But I write to write a great story and I had to balance those things. The finished product is definitely not a Hannah Montana movie. It’s an ensemble piece with a talented cast that will appeal to audiences of all ages. Ronnie is a really compelling female character going through things that a lot of teenagers are going through. She’s forced to really grow and mature through the course of the film.
Cyrus was thrilled to tackle her first dramatic role in a film by Nicholas Sparks. She says that “A Walk to Remember and “The Notebook had a huge impact on her life. “His work has great, positive messages, notes the young actress. “To me, the best thing is that kids love it, but it’s also mature enough to appeal to adults. It’s unusual to find that kind of balance.
Sparks collaborated with longtime friend Jeff Van Wie to write the screenplay. “We’ve known each other since college-more than 25 years, says Sparks. “Jeff is very successful in the business world, but he always dreamed of writing a screenplay. When Jennifer asked if I would be willing to do a script, I thought Jeff and I could do it together. We had written together before, so we knew we could work well together. Even though he lives in the Northeast and I live in the South, we had phones, we had email and we talked endlessly every evening.
The result, according to Kelly Preston, who plays Ronnie’s mother, Kim, is “heartbreaking and life affirming at the same time. “Nick’s work has so much depth, the actress continues. “He writes about simple things that happen in real life, about finding the beauty in small moments. Nicholas has a beautiful way of looking at the human condition that allows him to write in the head of a 17-year-old as well as he can any adult.
Finding the Right Direction
For producer Adam Shankman, the privilege of translating novelist Nicholas Sparks’ work to the screen comes with a great sense of responsibility. “We are interpreting his work and he has nothing but giant mega-hit books, says Shankman. “This is a big emotional story that reminds us that there is something bigger than us out there. It reminds us that love comes in a lot of different forms, that forgiveness is important for our own personal growth. I have a history with Nick, after directing ‘A Walk to Remember,’ which was a really good experience for all of us, so I feel accountable.
Once Sparks began writing the story, the film began to gather momentum rapidly and it was critical to find a director who could handle the emotional and logistical complexity of the story. “It came together very quickly, says Jennifer Gibgot, “because there was such excitement and enthusiasm from Miley and the studio to make the movie. Nick decided he had to write the script before the novel and we began looking for a director while he wrote the novel.
The producers selected Julie Anne Robinson, an accomplished director in Britain. “Julie Anne had done a film for the BBC called ‘Come Down the Mountain,’ says Gibgot. “It was about a young man who has a brother with Down syndrome. She got unbelievable performances out of a group of young actors. We knew Julie Anne could offer inspired support and guidance to all of the actors and help Miley transition from comic roles into this dramatic one.
“Her passion for the actors was obvious on set, Gibgot continues. “She eats, drinks and sleeps their performances. She was so specific and thorough in what she needed from the cast for every scene.
Shankman, who describes Robinson as an “actor’s director, notes that she learned from some of the most acclaimed filmmakers of our time, including Stephen Daldry, who guided Kate Winslet to an Oscar(R) in “The Reader, and Sam Mendes, who did the same for Kevin Spacey in “American Beauty. “She has great energy. When she watches, she stands and rocks, as if she’s in the performance with the actor.
Each actor is a unique artist in Robinson’s eyes, and she adapts her directing style accordingly as she discovers how each one works best. “With Greg Kinnear, I had a lot of long conversations with him in advance, she explains. “We talked a lot about the script and the character because he is quite a cerebral actor. But I would never rehearse with the young actors, even if I had all the time in the world. They can get bored and tired and the magic can be lost very quickly. I think what they give you instinctively is often right on the money.
Robinson likes to work up close and personal with her actors, eschewing the on-set monitor for many shots. “I need to see what’s on the faces of the actors, Robinson says. “The monitors are so grainy and pixilated, I can’t see their eyes to see if they mean it on a very basic level. When I feel the actors are inhabiting the emotions and really going deep, it excites me. I get thrilled if I can’t see the artifice. It also becomes a quicker process, because if the actors have a question or if I have a note, I’m right there.
The film’s story is both universal and intensely personal to Robinson. “Everyone I talk to about ‘The Last Song’ relates to some aspect of it, she says. “My response to the material was greatly affected by the fact that I’m a parent. You see parents making mistakes in this film. When you are a child, you expect your parents to be perfect and when you’re a parent, you realize you are just a person and you do make mistakes. That strand of the story really resonated with me and I think everyone will understand and relate to it.
The film, says Robinson, is a realization of the vision she brought into her initial meetings with the producers. “It was the best creative experience of my life. And I’ve had a lot of creative experiences that I’ve really enjoyed. The people involved with this process made it uniquely wonderful. They let me do my thing, which was great.
The next day, Will takes Ronnie to where he works to show her the aquarium. After they leave to the beach, Ashley shows up and tells Ronnie about Will’s past relationships and how taking them to see the aquarium was routine of his, making Ronnie doubtful of her feelings toward him. Will finds her at the turtle’s nest and they have an argument about his past relationships. When Ronnie suggests she does not want to another girl on the list that they should end their relationship for good, Will embraces her and they kiss passionately, proving his feelings for her as akin to him quoting she’s “not like the other girls.”
“The Last Song is Sparks’ 15th published book. Though several of his previous titles have been adapted to film, including “The Notebook, “Message in a Bottle and “Nights in Rodanthe, “The Last Song is the first to make it to the big screen within the first year of publication. It’s also the first for which he has written the screenplay.
The Last Song (2010)
Directed by: Julie Anne Robinson
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Bobby Coleman, Liam Hemsworth, Hallock Beals, Nick Lashaway, Carly Chaikin, Nick Searcy, Kate Vernon, Kelly Preston, Melissa Ordway, Carrie Malabre, Lance E. Nichols
Screenplay by: Nicholas Sparks
Production Design by: Nelson Coates
Cinematography by: John Lindley
Film Editing by: Nancy Richardson
Costume Design by: Louise Frogley
Set Decoration by: James Edward Ferrell Jr.
Art Direction by: Scott Meehan
Music by: Aaron Zigman
MPAA Rating: PG for thematic material, some violence, sensuality and mild language.
Distributed by: Buena Vista Pictures
Release Date: March 31, 2010
