Dear John Trailer, or Channing Tatum Finally Plays an Actual Emotional Human Being

Let’s face it, Channing Tatum and acting go together like Rosie Perez and sweet, soothing love songs. After “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra”, I was all about to give the man’s ability to act, or indeed, emote in any honest way onscreen, for dead. Not so fast, my friends. Here’s the trailer for “Dear John”, Channing’s latest, a movie where, although he puts on Army fatigues, he doesn’t do whole lot of punching, fighting, or kick anyone in the face, which makes you wonder — what the hell were they doing casting Channing Tatum in this? As it turns out, maybe it was a brilliant casting choice. Okay, maybe not brilliant, but it certainly surprised me, at least from what little we see here.

A soldier home on leave falls for a conservative college girl. Instead of returning home to her, he reenlists after the attacks on September 11th, 2001. Time and distance begin to take a toll on the young lovers.

Starring Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Henry Thomas, Richard Jenkins, Scott Porter, and directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

The movie is based on a Nicholas Sparks (“The Notebook”) novel, so expect the usual unconventional (i.e. tragic) ending after two hours of sappy romance.

Write to John February 5th, 2010.