The Vow - C

Rated PG-13, 104 minutes

There's one warning message that the new romantic drama "The Vow" should come with: Chick Flick. Arriving just in time for Valentine's Day, it should attract many date-night couples seeking a little added romance to the evening. A dull, average entry in the genre, "The Vow," which is actually based on a true story, features two pretty actors engaging in some icky sweet moments. Attention date-nighters, women will likely enjoy this but men will enjoy it most when it's over. Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams play a Chicago named Leo and Paige, a newly married pair of artists with a taste for the unconventional. They are in a bad accident and Paige suffers some bad head injuries, suffering some major memory loss. She doesn't remember anything about Leo or their relationship, providing some immense challenges to the couple, who have essentially start over in their relationship. It'd be nice to have suffered severe memory loss after seeing "The Vow," a forgettable, stale and slow-moving drama about rekindling romance. Tatum and McAdams are a handsome, likable couple but their blandness simply makes it hard to buy into this from the start. This also makes it a challenge to provide any emotional depth to the characters or the story; Tatum in particular has never been an expressive actor, while McAdams' shallowness comes through too often. It's nice seeing Sam Neill and Jessica Lange in small supporting roles as Paige's disapproving parents, but they're not on screen much to have a huge impact. Some moments, especially near the end, may generate the need for tissues, but I found "The Vow" to be too shallow and wholly unsatisfying. Much like biting into a chocolate you don't care for, you'll leave "The Vow" with a bitter aftertaste, hoping to forget the experience.