Even though it is stereotyped as just another chick flick, “Dear John” has brought in the big bucks in theaters across the country, making a whopping $13.6 million on opening night.

This film is based off the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks (author of “The Notebook”), so, of course, the general rules apply. It’s about a girl and boy falling in love and getting their hearts broken. However, it isn’t the typical sappy love story that one might expect from the trailers shown on TV.

Channing Tatum plays John, the bad boy turned good who is on leave from the Army Special Forces when he meets Charleston native, Savannah (Amanda Seyfried), and they immediately feel a connection. They spend two weeks together and fall in love with each other except John is forced to go back to the army. Savannah makes John promise to tell her everything that happens to him by writing to her all the time, and a relationship develops through their love letters. The couple stays in touch until the events of 9/11 cause John to re-enlist in the Army, and Savannah grows tired of waiting for her soldier to return.

This movie is quite possibly one of the saddest films that has made an appearance in theaters in some time. Tatum was the perfect actor to cast for the role of John: He’s easy on the eyes, the kind of actor that will make the audience (composed of mostly women) want to come see this film multiple times.

There were some points where the viewer has to stop and say, “Come on … really?” First of all, no one falls in love in two weeks, and it may be a little creepy that this girl is writing a guy she’s known for such a short time over the span of years. Also no ladies will complain, but there seemed to be a lot of scenes with Tatum half-naked and surfing.

Seyfried, best known for her roles in films like “Mamma Mia!” and “Mean Girls,” is convincing in this film and almost has the audience hating her but yet feeling sorry for her at the same time, something that isn’t easy to pull off.

This film does have a more “real” sense to it than other movies based off of Nicholas Sparks’ novels, such as “A Walk to Remember.” However, it is still a film that no guy wants to see and will only go when his girlfriend is begging him to take her, but it is definitely a hit with the ladies.

3 stars