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Parents' Guide to

The Choice

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 13+

Womanizer trades up for true love in Nicholas Sparks weepie.

Movie PG-13 2016 111 minutes
The Choice Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Christine5464
Christine5464 Parent of 12-year-old
May 16, 2019
age 14+

Gabby was good but...

Formulaic, tear jerker, but casting for the guy was a total miss for me and my daughter. The story wasn't his best. We had fun watching together. She was a bit surprised it was pg-13. Seemed more 14 plus material.
Bonnie B.
Bonnie B. Adult
August 28, 2017
age 18+

A tearjerker

I personally loved it and watched it twice right away!!!! I love a good romance and both characters played their parts to a tee!!!!
See all 4 parent reviews

What's the Story?

True love is a choice, THE CHOICE seems to suggest. Travis (Benjamin Walker) plays the role of good ol' North Carolina boy with a gift for flirting and a penchant for partying on his boat. When his pretty new neighbor, Gabby (Teresa Palmer), a cantankerous medical student, moves in next door, he's smitten -- and cute arguments and confrontations (predictably) ensue. Gradually Travis is revealed to be a solid guy: He's a local veterinarian with a good heart who loves animals and nature. When Gabby's boyfriend leaves town, she and Travis fall into an intense affair that's interrupted by the boyfriend's return. Playboy Travis declares his love, but tragedy brings their idyll to a halt.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4 ):
Kids say (2 ):

Based on Nicholas Sparks' same-named novel, this is a formulaic, cliched tearjerker. It blends chaotic direction by Ross Katz, a star in over her head, and a poorly structured script full of obvious foreshadowing and words of wisdom that aren't terribly wise. "Most precautions aren't necessary. That's why we call 'em precautions." Huh? Or, "Life just keeps unfolding. If you sit still, it will pass you by." And, best of all: "A man with one chair likes to sit alone."

Without getting too far into spoiler territory, the ending reveals one element of foreshadowing that should have been highlighted more emphatically early in the script but wasn't. The one standout is Walker's performance as Travis; the actor miraculously brings depth to nearly inutterable dialogue -- and reality to a story that would otherwise fit best into the cookie-cutter mold of a Lifetime Channel triviality.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about The Choice's messages. Do you think it's important to take risks sometimes? What could the consequences be -- positively or negatively?

  • Do you think love at first sight exists? How does the movie portray romantic/sexual relationships?

  • Do you think you'd be able to make the choice that Travis faces?

  • Author Nicholas Sparks is known for weepy, heartbreaking stories with life-and-death twists. How does this adaptation compare to others based on his books?

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