LOS ANGELES (Top40 Charts) -
Mandy Moore portrays an unusual character ?- a sassy Christian teenager ?- and actually makes it work in the teen weepie
A Walk to Remember, which opens nationwide on Friday (Jan. 25).
This is a teen flick with a difference. Moore's character, Jamie, is certainly not the most popular girl in high school. But unlike other teen takes on the subject, which have the misfit blossoming into Miss Desirability, it's the girl who reforms the bad boy for a change. The boy in this case is Landon (Shane West), thrown into close contact with Jamie as part of his community service/detention, after his involvement in a teen escapade involving drinking and untimely injury.
Jamie's a square all right, but she has an inner confidence that Landon, for all his "cool" bravado, lacks. And Moore's portrayal makes it hip to be square. She's sweet, but never sanctimonious; her love of the Lord is presented without undue emphasis. It's simply part of who she is. And Moore makes it perfectly believable that this simple girl with big dreams could win over the high school tough guy.
A sudden plot twist turns the story into high melodrama, giving Moore the chance to become the noble sufferer - the weakest aspect of her performance. The plot twist is rather hackneyed, but should still induce the sensitive to reach for their hankies.
Unsurprisingly, the script manages to find a way to get Moore to sing, as the high point of a rather risqu� school play. She performs four songs on the soundtrack, including a duet with Jonathan Foreman, singer with the Christian pop group Switchfoot, who contribute four songs of their own to the soundtrack, which debuted at No. 181 on The Billboard 200 last week. The soundtrack also features Cold, Toploader, New Radicals, and others.
A Walk to Remember will appeal most to teenage girls and Mandy Moore fans. But teenage boys who see it might pick up some tips on "How To Treat Your Date With Respect."
