Dear John: A Tatum and Seyfried love-in

Nicholas Sparks is fast becoming the go-to writer when it comes to romantic movies.

After turning four of his novels - including The Notebook - into tear jerker films and Hollywood is now moving onto its fifth adaptation.

Dear John follows a solider - played by Channing Tatum - who falls for Southern sweetheart Savannah - played by Amanda Seyfried. But when John is deployed, the couple's relationship is put to the ultimate test and they decide to correspond by writing letters.

The film's leads bonded instantly over the script and also discovered they were fans of each other's work.

"I loved Step Up, I mean I love a dance movie," said Amanda.

"I think I actually was singing along to Mamma Mia," admitted Channing.

"I went and saw it with a bunch of screaming people in the theatre," he added.

"Jenna made you go though?" guessed Amanda

"Yeah," replied Channing.

The rest of the cast and crew were just as smitten with the production.

Channing said: "As far as the story, I think everybody involved in it just really loved it. We loved the characters. I love John, I have a real affinity for him and I just hope everybody can set aside the war stuff, cos it's not a war movie, it's not a solider movie, it's just about two kids falling in love."

Dear John's mix of beautiful settings and beautiful people was enough to kick Avatar into touch. The film knocked the 3D epic off the top of the US box office.

If you are familiar with Sparks' work this does exactly what it says on the tin and sadly that is its downfall. It begins sweetly and predictably enough, but loses direction and desperately tries to pack in too many themes - love, loss, duty, family and war. What's more, fans of the book may feel slightly short-changed, as the ending is fairly unsatisfying.