The Best of Me (film)

The Best of Me
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Hoffman
Produced by	Justin Burns Denise Di Novi Alison Greenspan Ryan Kavanaugh Nicholas Sparks
Screenplay by	Will Fetters J. Mills Goodloe
Based on	The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks
Starring	James Marsden Michelle Monaghan Luke Bracey Liana Liberato
Music by	Aaron Zigman
Cinematography	Oliver Stapleton
Edited by	Matt Chesse
Production company	Di Novi Pictures
Distributed by	Relativity Media
Release date	October 17, 2014 (2014-10-17) (United States)
Running time	118 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$26 million
Box office	$35,926,213

The Best of Me is a 2014 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Hoffman and written by Will Fetters and J. Mills Goodloe, based on Nicholas Sparks' 2011 novel of the same name. The film stars James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan with Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato.

Shooting began on March 6, 2014 in New Orleans. The film was released on October 17, 2014 by Relativity Media. Previews in selected test markets were shown on October 15.

Dawson Cole works on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. One day, an explosion on the job nearly kills him, throwing him into the water, but miraculously, he survives. Months later after recovering, Dawson learns that his close friend and surrogate father, Tuck Hostetler, has died and returns home for the first time in almost twenty years to carry out Tuck's final wishes. When he arrives at his house, Dawson is surprised to find that Tuck also arranged for Dawson's high school girlfriend, Amanda Collier, to join him. It seems that Tuck's intention was that Dawson and Amanda would perhaps rekindle their former romance. However, Amanda is now married to Frank Reynolds.

Dawson was born into a notorious backwoods criminal family with an abusive father. In flashbacks, it is revealed that as a teenager, he left his father's home and stayed overnight in Tuck Hostetler's garage. Tuck, a local mechanic who had recently lost his wife, allows Dawson to live with him and eventually considers him a son of his own.

Dawson and Amanda attended the same high school and began dating, soon falling in love. Before the prom, Dawson's father and brothers beat Tuck. Dawson, angered, goes to his fathers house with the intent of killing him with Tuck's rifle. However, they scuffle, and Dawson's cousin, an expectant teen father, is accidentally killed. In exchange for a lighter sentence, Dawson testifies against his father and brothers. However, since Dawson will not be paroled for another four years, he cuts ties with Amanda, forcing her to choose college over staying with him.