At this point, connoisseurs of Nicholas Sparks’ particular brand of emotional manipulation know what to expect from movies based on his bestselling books: an attractive young couple, some banter-strewn complications, an adorable animal or two. Then you smack the whole thing with a tragedy-laden truck, get some scenes of people weeping next to hospital beds, and call it a day.
In those regards, the new trailer for The Choice doesn’t disappoint. Starring Warm Bodies’ Teresa Palmer and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter star Benjamin Walker—apparently performing an experiment into what it would be like if Rob Huebel was slowly transformed into Matthew McConaughey—the film hits all of the expected Sparks beats. We meet cute, then we meet cuter, via the introduction of some adorable puppies. Then someone has an unexpected boyfriend! Then they get hit by a car. (Lionsgate appears to have taken the old maxim about trailers telling a complete story to heart; unfortunately, it kind of looks like the story this one tells is the entirety of The Choice, by Nicholas Sparks.) Anyway, for those looking for a trip up and down on the emotional rollercoaster, The Choice looks like it may offer exactly the requested ride.