Some of cinema’s most memorable moments come from stories of love and romance.
Richard Gere swept Debra Winger off her feet in “An Officer and a Gentleman.”
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh shared a kiss in “Gone with the Wind.”
Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey put together the perfect dance routine in “Dirty Dancing.”
These moments are timeless and wonderful. But there aren’t a lot of great movie romances these days. They’ve been replaced by empty stories trying desperately to be edgy — such as the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy.
This lack of modern romance on the big screen partly explains the success of the microbudgeted “Forever My Girl” from earlier this year. The $3.5 million film ended up grossing over $16 million at the domestic box office.
“Forever My Girl” tells the story of Liam Page (Alex Roe), a man who leaves his small town behind for music stardom only to find out later that the woman he once loved (Jessica Rothe) has been raising his child without him. The film looks at middle America with a fair eye and has a beating and warm heart at the center of it — inspired by family and companionship.
Based on a series of popular romance books by Heidi McLaughlin, “Forever My Girl” is now available on home video.
Related: Why ‘Forever My Girl’ Is Different from Its Hollywood Competition
LifeZette spoke by phone with McLaughlin, who is based in Vermont, about seeing her words translated to the big screen and why she thinks the story of Liam Page is so special.
Question: What did you think of the movie adaptation of “Forever My Girl”?
Answer: I enjoyed it. Of course, as the author of the novel series, I wish it had stayed truer to the novel itself.
Q: What are some themes from these books — and the movie — that people can relate to, especially when it comes to love?
A: Knowing when to trust your heart or when to take risks [is one]. A lot of people read or watch movies to escape reality, so when they see or read a bit of life playing out in their favorite characters, I think it gives them some perspective.
Q: You’ve written five books in this series. What’s the biggest takeaway you want people to have from these stories?
A: To follow your dreams. I’m big on pursuing your passion and not those of others. Make your own — and I believe in the series, readers understand that. I’ve heard from many new authors that they read “Forever My Girl” or the series, and it inspired them to become writers or follow their lifelong dream in a certain career.
“Writers get to do what they love because of readers.”
Q: Will we see more of these books in the future? And would you like to see more film adaptations?
A: I’ve created a spinoff, which allows me to continue the stories. I would love for more films to be made. These characters are a part of my life and the lives of many of the readers.
Q: Any new thoughts or perspective you have now that you’ve seen your written words make it to the big screen?
A: A huge thank-you for all the support. Writers get to do what they love because of readers. As I mentioned earlier, following your dreams leads to amazing things.
“Forever My Girl” is available on home video and streaming now. Find out more about the books.
PopZette editor Zachary Leeman can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter.
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