A Film to Forget
January 15, 2004
I grieve for Mandy Moore. The poor girl has been unfairly lumped in with lesser lights of girl pop stardom, barely staying above Willa Ford levels of obscurity. In a just world, Jessica Simpson's idiocy would be punished by failure and Mandy Moore would be recognized for such gems as In My Pocket and Crush. I have an explanation for her relative lack of attention, though. Mandy Moore made "A Walk to Remember", one of the worst movies that's ever been built.
There's no shortage of truly horrible films featuring pop singers, of course. The flight I'm on as I write this is showing "The Fighting Temptations", a Beyonce Knowles vehicle featuring Cuba Gooding, Jr. I think the premise of this movie is that an actor wins an Oscar and then loses all his dignity starring in films with sled dogs and then Beyonce comes in to twist the knife of has-been-ness. And there's singing!
But I come not to insult Beyonce's film. I come to insult Mandy Moore's film. The last two times I've visited the home office in California, I've taken the opportunity to watch one film per trip which featured a popular female singer not known for her acting. It is to Ms. Moore's great discredit that I can safely lump her first cinematic effort in with the other film I caught, Madonna's "Who's That Girl". In that particular abomination, Madonna plays an ex-con who drives a convertible with a giant lizard in a cage in the back seat. What the film lacks in plot, acting, direction, script, or production values, it almost makes up for in sheer inscrutability. It's intriguing in the same way that watching an unsubtitled foreigh film can be.
Mandy Moore, though. Her first film was called "A Walk To Remember". I believe it was adapted from a novel, but as I don't read fiction (it's all a bunch of lies!) I can't attest to the veracity of that statement. What I can confirm, though, is that this movie is a big huge pile of evil.
The basic premise of the film is a famliar one, in that Moore plays a shy, unassuming young woman who's wildly unpopular at school, yet is still smitten with the good-looking popular bad boy in her class. Over the course of the film, her good Christian influence and unwavering love even in the face of his potential temptation by the cool slutty popular girl wins him over and he professes his love for her in the end.
The twist is in Moore's character. Instead of shedding her modest, homely clothes and wowing 'em in the end by showing what a hottie she is without her glasses as she performs the lead single from the soundtrack to reluctant cheers from her astounded classmates, Moore stays ugly and then gets cancer and dies.
Oh, yeah, there might be spoilers in that paragraph above. Sorry 'bout that. It was in preparation for writing this review that I first started ruminating on the reasons that make people object so strongly to spoilers. Perhaps they are all just big Mandy Moore fans.
Seriously, though, what the fuck is up with this movie? Mandy is the ultra-christian here, the daughter of a preacher man and painfully god-fearing. In fact, the male lead actually marries her before her untimely demise, seeing that the only route to this woman's pants is through her father's church.
Perhaps most unforgivably, the movie features zero chirpy pop melodies being sung by its female lead. I would suppose that sort of levity would ruin the hardcore "I came here to cry!" tone being set by the script, but don't these young girls still have "Titanic" on DVD to fit that need?
Now, I'm not expecting "8 Mile" out of Mandy, but I'm hoping for some improvement. I fear it will be with a heavy heart and lowered expectations that I venture out to see "Chasing Liberty" at some point in the near future.
12:15 PM
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I'm still stunned that she did a cover of a XTC song.
two words: Glitter.
I am biased. Since my friend wrote the screenplay and it wasn't something like Barbershop2: Final Weave. I'm standing behind it.
Just a note for the author of this column...you may not have liked the movie A Walk to Remember...but just remember that many people know Mandy Moores name and she financialy has her life set, while no one knows your name and you will never have the success she has had. You are just jealous of others success. And by the way...the only guys I know that have watched 'A Walk to Remember' are gay...maybe you would like the movie 'The Italian job' ...there are lot's of hot guys for you to google at!
well the A Walk to remember movie is not bad and i am not a gay too my sis was watching that movie and i wanted to watch basket ball game but then the moie is not bad well i understand what the movie is telling and she look alot better in the movie she look simple from what she looks like now she is pretty but she looks like a wild type girl like uhh girl that has no taste or something i can't explain and her songs are not bad well some are but not all and it's just that maybe your jealous that you are not well known unlike her lots of people know her and that movie is good well the guy in that movie is like you 1st you don't like her but then maybe your one of the guys would be courting her now . so all i can say that you are wrong aboutit well lot of people liked the movie cause we understand what the movie is showing or what the story is telling the watchers
well the a walk to remember story is good it's that you don't know or you don't feel what the movie is telling and in that movie mandy moore doesnt look ugly in that movie she looks good cause from her picture ive seen right now she looks like a prisoned girl but in that movie she looks pretty than now cause she look simple than what she looks like now and maybe other people are right you are just jealous that she is well known but you maybe only few people know you just like what they say don't judge others of waht you see but you mus t know what is true and what is inside them (if you don't get what i said then you are such a abd atitude guy)
I dont't understand how people can think Mandy Moore is a bad actress and a horrible singer. Many Moore didn't make A walk to remember one of the worst movies ever. Mandy Moore probably made that movie even better than it would have been had any other person but the actual "Jamie Sulavin" played that roll. I don't think that what made the movie not to your liking was Mandy Moore I think that your problem is a lack of sensitivity. I am sorry if I have offended anyone. But just because Mandy Moore isn't "slutty" doesn't make her a bad actress/singer. I think it actually makes her look better. Thanks to everyone who isn't afraid to stand up for someone. I give ya props.
"A Walk To Remember" is the best movie I've ever
seen and I think it is good that not all pop stars act like SLUTS. It had a good meaning behind it. That movie changed my life it gave me a new overlook of things. I love the sountrack too, it is all I ever listen to. Mandy Moore was awsome in that movie. So, I think it was a wonderful movie!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't even diss this movie its the best ever!! It shows people that they really can make a big change in someones life!
you're so stupid! You dont know what you are saying! A walk to remember is the best movie I ever seen!and mandy moore is a good actress and singer too!!!!!!!!!!! Dont ever compare her to anyone! Like other people say your just jealous because she has a good life! unlike you! maybe that is why god dont bless you because you insult other people even if you still dont know them!!!Dont say that mandy is ugly! you should look at the mirror! you look like a monkey that is trap in a cage! You have a big nose either!haha!!! And if you still dont like her just shut up! we dont want to hear or read your article because it was for stupid people like you! You are the worst author who ever lived! Why would god make someone like you! So dont insult mandy moore again!!! Thank you for the people stand up for mandy!!!
i think you need your head examined or something.. because mandy is not another britney spears or christina aguilera it doesn't mean that she is not good in what she is doing (acting and singing) she has real talent! And in the end she did win britney spears in the 2002 MTV movie awards for Best Breakthough Female fir her role as jamie in a walk to remember..
A walk to remember influenced alot of people (including me) to do something good and change their way of thinking!!
P.S: thanks to the supporters of mandy.. :)
oh please, AWTR is an ok movie maybe not good enough compares to other romantic Hollywood movies. By the way, when someone said something bad about the movie, he entitled to his/her opinion. I thought Mandy's fans are nicer and don't diss someone else just because that someone dissed Mandy's movie. Mandy might not want to think her fans like that, because even Mandy might able to take a critic from someone and I'm sure there's some movies she doesn't like. Mandy fans will only see the best of Mandy, well they don't know the real Mandy, and next time instead of you dissing someone who don't think Mandy is talented, why don't you just said what you like about Mandy and not trying to make that someone like Mandy.
thank you, I'm just really angry about this article...so sorry... I dont want people to insult her.. But I promise to be good! :)
well everyone is entitled to their own opinion. my opinion is that a walk to remember is a very sweet movie and if there is anything above sipmly good in it that is mandy moore's performance
I watched A Walk To Remember over and over again. I absolutely loved the movie. It was so touching. By the way, a good explaination to why Mandy Moore may not be as recognized as Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera is that she does not dress like a whore and flaunt every inch of her body for people to see. She is smart, and voices her opinion on things whether people want to hear it or not, and the fact that she does that without being a bitch to people aggrivates people even more. Also, I love her music. She has alot of talent. Her voice is beautiful, something neither Britneys see-through outfit or Christina wearing close to no clothes in her music videos could top.
Erm Anil Dash...your an arrogant idiot who can't seem to understand those type of movies...watch the movie properly then talk.
Mandy Moore by far is in my opinion a lot better than the whores like Britney Spears and Aguilera who show their full bodies and get married everyday with fags....
MM has talent, i like her because she's different. In a Walk to Remember, u might say she's ugly, but i don't think so. In some scenes ok, not attractive, but in the scenes where she's in love with Landon, she looks great. No not hot and sexy great, but beautiful and very good hearted, the type of girl i prefer.
"eriously, though, what the fuck is up with this movie? Mandy is the ultra-christian here, the daughter of a preacher man and painfully god-fearing. In fact, the male lead actually marries her before her untimely demise, seeing that the only route to this woman's pants is through her father's church."
Now ur really stupid, the reason he married her, because that was her number one wish, to marry in the Church where her mother grew up...i don't think he had the 'intention' of getting into her pant, but to simply make her happy.
"Perhaps most unforgivably, the movie features zero chirpy pop melodies being sung by its female lead. I would suppose that sort of levity would ruin the hardcore "I came here to cry!" tone being set by the script, but don't these young girls still have "Titanic" on DVD to fit that need?"
Now ur really stupid, there are at least 3 songs sung by the female lead, one of em 'Cry'
Wtf do u mean glasses? She doesn't wear any...
LOOK, this ain't another typical 'BollyWood' movie ur used to seeing. Where the hero bashed up 15 baddies, in the end marries the chick, everybody wins.
This movie has a way better storyline and message. Don't get me wrong, i'm also Indian, but ur just really dumb...
Cheers
You're a cold hearted idiot.
It's not actually Oscar material and Mandy isn't actually in her best acting form, but still the movie does pull through... w/ half of the theater sobbing is proof enough. I'ts not senseless like other films, but it does send a message. Unlike other Hollywood films, there are no exagerrated love scenes, nor cleavage baring leading ladies... thus it stands out from the rest. Mind you, most if not all hollywood films must have at least one bed scene, so this is really one of a kind. Compared to busty Britney's movie which had a weak story line to start, it does fare better. Maybe more acting workshops for Mandy. But I would rather see Mandy than the rest of Britney's slutty, brainless blondes. Points to ponder: Mandy is ABOVE Willa (who is Willa to start with?); Mandy does have several hits to make her popular enough with the public; Fiction is not REAL, then why call it lies; Mandy's character already has cancer at the start of the movie.