Nights in Rodanthe is a 2008 American romantic drama film. It is based on Nicholas Sparks’ 2002 novel. The movie features Richard Gere and Diane Lane, who have worked together on three films, including The Cotton Club (1984) and Unfaithful (2002).
The movie was filmed in Rodanthe, a small seaside village located in the northern part of Hatteras Island and North Topsail Beach, North Carolina.
Plot
Adrienne Willis is going through a divorce from her husband, Jack, after he left her for another woman. This separation has created tension between Adrienne and their daughter, Amanda, who is a teenager and often acts out. One morning, while picking up Amanda and their son, Danny, for a weekend visit, Jack tells Adrienne that he still loves her and wants to return home. Adrienne tells him she needs time to think.
Adrienne drives to Rodanthe, North Carolina, to help a friend manage a bed-and-breakfast for a few days. The house is located on the beach and is partially covered by the surf during high tide. The only guest staying there for the weekend is Paul Flanner, a surgeon. Paul has been struggling with memories of a surgery that ended in tragedy. A woman who wanted to have a hemangioma on her face removed died during the operation due to a complication with anesthesia. The woman’s family, who live in Rodanthe, is suing Paul for wrongful death.
As a storm approaches, Paul and Adrienne work together to protect the inn. They share meals, talk about their lives, and offer each other emotional support. A real relationship begins, and they fall in love. With Adrienne’s encouragement, Paul finds the courage to visit the widower of the woman who died. He also feels guilty for choosing his career over his relationship with his son, Mark, who is working as a doctor in Ecuador. Paul plans to visit Mark there.
During their time apart, Adrienne and Paul write many letters to each other, expressing their desire to be together again. On the night they were supposed to reunite, Paul does not arrive. Later, Mark shows up at Adrienne’s home with a box containing Paul’s personal items. Mark explains that Paul was killed in a flash mudslide while trying to save medical supplies. Mark thanks Adrienne for helping him reconnect with the father he knew as a child.
In the weeks that follow, Adrienne struggles with the loss of Paul. Eventually, Amanda learns the story from her mother. This moment becomes a turning point in their relationship, as Adrienne begins to heal. She tells Amanda about the special love she shared with Paul and encourages her daughter to find love in her own life someday.
Later, Adrienne returns to Rodanthe and sees a group of wild horses on the beach near the inn. She, her children, and her best friend walk to the dock, where she and Paul once danced.
Cast
- Diane Lane as Adrienne Willis
- Richard Gere as Dr. Paul Flanner
- James Franco as Dr. Mark Flanner
- Scott Glenn as Robert Torrelson
- Christopher Meloni as Jack Willis
- Carolyn McCormick as Jenny
- Viola Davis as Jean
- Pablo Schreiber as Charlie Torrelson
- Mae Whitman as Amanda Willis
- Charlie Tahan as Danny Willis
Post-production
The house was damaged during a hurricane after the movie was filmed. New owners purchased the house and moved it to a different location on the Outer Banks. Visitors to the area can rent parts of the house and stay in rooms that have been fixed to look like they did in the movie (real scenes from the movie were filmed in special studios). The house was originally called Serendipity and is now known as the Inn at Rodanthe. In 2024, the house is available for sale.
Reception
The movie Nights in Rodanthe earned $41.9 million in North America and $42.5 million in other countries, totaling $84.4 million worldwide. During its first weekend in theaters, the film made $13.4 million, placing it in second place at the box office behind Eagle Eye, which earned $59.6 million. This made Nights in Rodanthe Warner Bros.' 13th highest-grossing movie of 2008.
According to the review site Rotten Tomatoes, critics generally agreed that the film was "derivative and overly sentimental" and "filled with forced situations that even the charm of actors Diane Lane and Richard Gere could not fix." The site gave the movie a "rotten" rating, with a score of 30% based on 132 reviews. Metacritic gave the film a score of 39 out of 100, described as "generally unfavorable," based on 26 reviews. Despite these negative reviews, the movie earned $84.4 million worldwide.
The Times listed Nights in Rodanthe on its 100 Worst Films of 2008 list. In 2010, Time magazine named it one of the 10 worst chick flicks ever made.