Nicholas Sparks’ “The Choice” places us in North Carolina where we are introduced to Travis, played by Benjamin Walker, who begins narrating the story. Travis is full of southern charm and has no trouble attracting women. Ironically, when he meets Gabby, played by Teresa Palmer, his charm initially has no effect on her. She is different from what he has become accustomed to and he finds himself intensely drawn to her. While he is outwardly charming, Travis holds on to a certain cynicism about life that is exposed during a conversation with Gabby. However, Gabby holds the opposite view and her optimism is part of what causes him to fall in love with her. Her feelings of hope and the belief in something greater begin to change Travis and give him the desire for something greater than just living from moment to moment.
Their love story plays out with many moments where choices have to be made. Life throws them many unexpected circumstances, including their own exploration of each other. Sometimes the choices are emotionally driven, other times they are based on faith and hope. A few of the choices they have to make are painful and will hurt others, so the emotional stakes are high and the end results are life changing.
“The Choice” is the eleventh Sparks story to be translated to film. It is directed by Ross Katz, previously known for his film “Lost In Translation,” and also co-stars Tom Welling and Tom Wilkenson. The story was filmed in 30 days at local attractions and wetlands around the Wilmington area. Viewers will be charmed by the beautiful scenery and backdrops found throughout the film.
Filming in North Carolina was “heaven on earth,” said Walker.
“It was the perfect Nicholas Sparks setting,” Palmer added.
Palmer said that she is a “huge Nicholas Sparks fan” and has seen “The Notebook” “perhaps 30 or 40 times.”
Palmer credited “The Notebook” as being one of her inspirations for the getting into her role of Gabby.
“There are lots of stories about that, but this is about what loving actually is…people fall in love every day, but after that, the story is about how you keep it going and stick together,” Walker said in regards to the story and themes in the film. “Once (Travis) gets a taste of what it would really be like to share his life with somebody, he fights for it.”
“As an actor, you always want to play a character that changes,” Walker said. “Both of these characters in the beginning are so set in their ways and they both have ideas of where their life is going to go, and it’s only in meeting each other that they learn that none of that’s going happen the way they thought it was going to. They are much better because of it and they change because of each other.”
“I was very inspired by some of the character traits of Gabby,” Palmer said. “She’s such a strong, fiercely independent woman. She’s feisty and she knows exactly what she wants and what she doesn’t want but she’s in this constant battle with her head and her heart. I loved that, because that’s how I live my life. I’m a swinging pendulum between really logical about something and being really emotional about something else. The fact that we see her start off (trying to be rational) and then end with leaning into her intuition—that was my favorite part of this journey.”
Palmer and Walker have great chemistry on and off screen. Their interactions with one another are playful, natural, and affectionate. This movie will be enjoyed by fans of Nicholas Sparks and is a great choice for a date night and Valentine’s Day. “The Choice” opened in theaters on Feb. 5.
