Apr 21, 2012 By Lou Gaul calkins Media Film Critic 3 min read

To Nicholas Sparks, love isn’t necessarily a splendored thing.

It’s a tremendously lucrative thing.

The 45-year-old author specializes in melodramatic twists and romantic turns. That formula makes Sparks’ hearts-and-flowers stories seem perfect for romantics seeking big-screen vehicles.

In such a changing and complex world, Sparks’ fans know they can depend on him to deliver tug-at-the-heartstrings titles. Previous titles include “Message in a Bottle” (1999) with Kevin Costner and Robin Wright in a story about a man tracking down the author of a letter he finds on the beach; “The Notebook” (2004) with Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams in a tale about lifelong dedication; “Nights in Rodanthe” with Diane Lane and Richard Gere in a melancholy story about an unhappy woman and a good doctor; and “Dear John” with Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum in a story of a woman drawn to a soldier on leave.

Sparks mixed some of those story elements for “The Lucky One,” his novel about a Marine who returns home after three tours in Iraq. After being discharged, he travels many miles to locate the woman in a snapshot he found on a Middle East ambush site. He believes the photo is responsible for saving his life.

Director Scott Hicks (“Shine”) takes a broad approach to the material, creating an old-school romantic drama. Although the result proves predictable, the PG-13 picture, which contains some spiritual overtones, will still capture the imaginations of those who open their hearts to it.

In the story, Marine Sgt. Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) embarks on a quest that turns into a life-altering experience as he finds Beth (27-year-old Taylor Schilling of “Atlas Shrugged: Part 1”), who’s in the picture that was carried in the Middle East by her brother, who died in combat. Beth, a single mother whose parents died in a car accident, is devoted to her young son, Ben (scene-stealing Riley Thomas Stewart), and finds strength in her devoted grandmother (the ever-dependable Blythe Danner).

Once Logan uncovers Beth’s identity, he visits her at the dog kennel she operates. He fails to tell her about the photograph. Beth has battled to escape a toxic relationship with her bullying ex-husband, the town sheriff (Jay R. Ferguson), who’s accustomed to using scare tactics about losing custody of Ben if she dates anyone else.

When Logan, who’s looking for a place where he feels he belongs, arrives and accepts a job as a helper in the kennel, it’s only a matter of time until he and Beth start falling physically and emotionally for each other.

The short-tempered sheriff, of course, plans to drench their passion with cold water by crushing the outsider and putting Beth in her place in the small Louisiana town.

The 24-year-old Efron, who proved such a teen sensation after Disney’s “High School Musical” and the big-screen adaption of Broadway’s “Hairspray,” obviously viewed “The Lucky One” as his major step into adult roles. One wishes Efron, who turned down the reboot of “Footloose” because he wanted to avoid another youth-oriented musical, had been given more dramatic challenges in “The Lucky One.”

He’s pleasant to watch, and his scenes with Schilling set off some sparks, but no celluloid blazes.

FILM REVIEW

“The Lucky One”

Grade: B-

Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner, Jay R. Ferguson and Riley Thomas Stewart; screenplay by Will Fetters, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks; produced by Denise Di Novi and Kevin McCormick; directed by Scott Hicks.

Running Time: 100 minutes.

Parental Guide: PG-13 rating (sexual elements, violence, adult themes).