With this being my final passion blog post, I wanted to review one of my all-time favorite movies, “A Walk to Remember.” This movie never fails to make me cry, and I highly recommend it. It is based on a Nicholas Sparks’ book of the same name. This film starred Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, and Daryl Hannah and was released in 2002. The next part includes spoilers for those who haven’t seen the movie. 

Popular and rebellious high school senior Landon Carter and his group of friends are drunk on school grounds and make a new student at their school jump off a high dive into the pool by promising him entrance into their friend group. Unfortunately, the new kid becomes seriously injured, bringing the incident to the school’s attention. When talking with the principal, Landon is forced to complete service projects around the school in exchange for not being expelled. Landon must attend: weekend tutoring, be a janitor, and participate in the school play. Landon gets to know Jamie Sullivan, the local minister’s minister, through these projects. Although they have known each other for most of their lives, they barely interacted. 

Landon struggles with the play and asks Jamie for help, and Jamie agrees under the condition he will not fall in love with her. Landon laughs at the thought. They form a bond until Landon is mean to her in front of his friends to impress them, and Jamie realizes Landon wants their friendship to be a secret, so she distances herself. 

  Landon realizes the implications of his actions, apologizes to the new kid he injured, and focuses on the play. On the play’s opening night, Landon is so impressed with Jamie’s singing that he kisses her just before the curtain closes. Jamie avoids Landon after this. Landon’s ex-girlfriend plays a mean joke on Jamie, and Landon defends her in front of everyone. Jamie and Landon recoil. Landon asks Jamie on a date, but Jamie says she isn’t allowed to, so Landon goes to the church and asks her father, who agrees. 

As the movie goes on, their relationship strengthens until Jamie reveals she has leukemia and Landon shouldn’t plan for a future with her. Jamie ends up in the hospital one night, and Landon goes and visits his estranged father, who is a doctor, and asks for help, but he is unable. Landon breaks down. 

In the hospital, Jamie gives Landon a book that belonged to her deceased mother and tells him he is her angel. Landon names a star after Jamie, surprises her with it, and asks her to marry him. They get married in the church where Jamie’s parents were married, and Landon reflects on their last summer together, as Jamie died shortly after getting married. 

Years later, Landon returns to their town, visits Jamie’s father, and tells him he’s been accepted into medical school. Landon expresses how he was sorry Jamie never got her miracle, but Jamie’s father says that Landon was her miracle. At the end of the film, Landon describes her love like the wind, “he cannot see it, but he can feel it”. 

  The movie’s main plot involves pediatric cancer, which I have a personal connection to, and I think that is why the film moved me. I would rate this movie a ten out of ten as it is incredibly moving and has an interesting plot. This movie never fails to make me cry, so if you are in need of a good cry, I would recommend this movie.