Unlike popular belief, I have nothing against romantic movies. But ever since 2004’s “The Notebook” became the ultimate choice in chick flicks (mainly because of Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams), the cheesy bestsellers of Nicholas Sparks have ignited a plague of Hollywood movies. “Nights in Rodanthe”, “The Last Song”, “Safe Haven” to name a few. “Endless Love” may not be a Sparks’ movie, but it feels exactly like one. I mean look at the plot: a poor boy (Alex Pettyfer from the crappy “I am Number Four” and “Beastly”) falls in love with a rich girl (Gabriella Wilde). But her father (played by Bruce Greenwood) is trying his best to keep them apart. Can you guess what happens next? Of course you do. But apparently that’s enough to attract young audiences these days. I won’t elaborate on the plot points. I’ll just say that I could have done without the melodramatic elements that punctuate the film and make it cheesy as hell. But that’s part of the formula: there has to be a crisis to keep the lovers apart until things can be resolved. Like its two stars, “Endless Love” is easy to watch, and just as easy to forget. But if you’re a sucker for romantic films, it’s an agreeable-enough piece of escapism.

Rating: 2/4