Shane West does an excellent portrayal of High School bad boy Landon, and his desire to be popular and cool will surely strike a chord in many of our hearts. After all, during our precocious teenage years, there are arguably few things that are more important than being cool and universally liked by peers. One's self esteem is invariably tied with how others perceive us. And so that is how Landon is, until he meets sweet Jamie Sullivan, the local preacher's daughter played by beautiful Mandy Moore. Moore lends her character a huge amount of depth and surrounds her with an innocent, heartwarming aura, so much so that by the end of the movie, she can do no wrong. In addition, the movie is littered with many fabulous songs that are sung by none other than Moore's beautiful voice. One piece that stands out is "Only Hope", a beautiful song that will have your optical water droplets rolling out on more than one occasion. Another great tune that will get your good feelings swirling is "Someday We'll Know".

As you watch their relationship blossom throughout the movie, your own feelings are inextricably linked and you find yourself cheering the couple on, marveling at their sweet times spent together and secretly envious of the intense love that they have discovered. For guys, I warn you - Jamie is so incredibly pure and unselfish that she will have your hearts fluttering by the end of the movie. As for Landon, he will no doubt reside in many girls' dreams for months to come, and he demonstrates a type of love that transcends ordinary levels, completing Jamie's life in each and every way. He shows her a love that she has not experienced before, and she helps him to discover himself and fills him with a desire to achieve higher things in life. There is a lot of hidden depth, and even when Landon fulfils Jamie's first and foremost desire (which I shall not reveal for those that have not seen the movie), he says it in such an unselfish way that it evokes true admiration of his love for her. By being together, they have both achieved things that were previously not possible.

By the end of the movie, the viewer's faith in love and everything pure and good is restored to unshakeable heights. Love is truly the most powerful emotion known to mankind, and this heartwarming story reminds us that despite the challenges we face on a daily basis, there are things in life that make the experience truly worth it. To be able to witness the kind of love that Jamie and Landon shared is truly unforgettable, and as Landon says during the movie, "We had more happiness than most people experience in a lifetime." A Walk to Remember is a truly moving story that urges us to have faith in true love and to cherish all the wonderful things that we have in our lives.

The plot is simple enough. Popular bad-boy Landon Carter (Shane West) is sentenced to various after-school activities as punishment for his participation in a prank gone terribly wrong. Consequently, he comes into contact with do-gooder Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), the preacher's daughter and school outcast. They grew up together, so he thinks he's got her all figured out; but as they spend more time together, he comes to realize that he never really knew her at all. They begin an uneasy friendship that blossoms into more. Along the way, they share some of the most romantic moments ever on film. Sadly, a tragic twist threatens to end their happiness.

The film benefits greatly from its two young leads, both of whom turn in outstanding, genuine performances. West has the difficult task of portraying a young man who undergoes a life-changing transformation from angry, aimless troublemaker to thoughtful, loving young man. His depiction is so convincing that by the end of the movie, you can actually see on Landon's face that he has indeed found inner peace from his prior internal tumult. West is especially brilliant in the school play scene where, without uttering a single word, he manages to display Landon's inner struggle over his feelings for Jamie. Quite a thing to behold. Moore is a revelation here as well. In her first lead role, she has chosen quite a difficult (and beloved) character to play, one that if not done right would inspire snickers and laughter rather than tears and sympathy. It is a tremendously challenging and pivotal role. And Moore pulls it off beautifully. Displaying strong screen presence, she shows acting range that belies her theatrical experience. She imbues Jamie with the ethereal radiance and quiet serenity required of her character (and by the novel). Rarely -- if ever -- will you see a more gentle, sincere and altogether believable portrayal of innocence. Together, these two are magic, sharing a chemistry that is not only natural and warm, but palpable and electric.

As with any film, "Walk" is not without its flaws. The directing could have been better to help in the flow of the narration. The film could have been about 15 minutes longer to sufficiently develop Jamie and Landon's relationship (though I suspect there were many deleted scenes). And it does not entirely stick to the novel. Those who have read the novel will find that there are many differences. Amazingly, however, the film still manages to capture the feel and essence of the book in that it can make your heart full and break it at the same time. Moreover, it dares to believe in faith and hope. It dares to believe in the transforming power of love. It dares to believe that young people are capable of true, intense and everlasting love. And though it happens to feature teens, it has a universal message -- and that message is up to the viewer, for it never seeks to preach.

More than just a love story, "A Walk to Remember" is anything but typical. Ultimately, it is about faith and hope...and living. No superficial make-overs or fart jokes here, folks.

Memorable, indeed.

The movie is based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, and tells the wonderful tale of two people who are the definite opposites of one another only to be brought together by a miracle. There is Jamie Sullivan, played brilliantly by Mandy Moore, who is a shy and meek girl who is always teased on by her peers. Her head remains strong however, because she doesn't allow the rude and immature comments penetrate and hamper her uplifting spirit. This is a true definition of a great person. I always admire someone who isn't afraid to be themselves and not be terribly afraid of what other people would think or change themselves to be something they're not. Jamie has high morals that she never allows to be jeopardized. There is also Landon, played by Shane West, whose only concern in life is not to jeopardize his reputation in other people's eyes. Both of these characters are brought together by an incident and fall amazingly in love. This tells a wonderful and amazing story of how true love can be.

Before watching this film, I doubted Mandy Moore's acting capabilities, but now I realize just how fitting she was for this role. Shane West also plays his part convincingly. The story is combined with an awesome cast to produce a remarkable and very rememberable movie.