‘Lucky One’ starring Zac Efron another Nicholas Sparks feel-good weeper

TORONTO – Fans of tear-jerker romantic dramas can always count on author Nicholas Sparks to deliver a satisfying feel-good weeper.

His 1996 bestseller “The Notebook” would go on to become a beloved all-time favourite film among those who love nothing more than a good cry at the movies, and helped launch the careers of Canadian stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.

Other books of his that got adapted for the big screen include “Message in a Bottle” starring Kevin Costner and Robin Wright Penn, “A Walk to Remember” with Mandy Moore and Shane West, and “Dear John” featuring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum.

The latest of his novels to be brought to life is “The Lucky One,” opening Friday, about a shell-shocked marine who returns home after a third tour of duty and credits his survival to a lucky charm he dug out of the dirt in Iraq, a photo of a smiling young woman.

The young marine is played by Zac Efron, best known as a teen heart-throb for his roles in “High School Musical” and “17 Again.” But his performance in “The Lucky One” opposite Hollywood newcomer Taylor Schilling, who plays the woman in the photo, may surprise filmgoers, say the film’s producer and the author of the eponymous book.

“The most important thing about his character, Logan, is that he has so much integrity and he’s such a good person and Zac really radiates that and it makes that very believable,” says producer Denise Di Novi.

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“And I just thought it would be exciting for people to see Zac play his first leading-man adult role. And he threw himself into it, trained with the marines, got 20 pounds of muscle on him, worked so hard and he really has pulled it off, he’s transformed himself.”

Sparks says he too was excited to see Efron step into the role of the character he created, who goes on a mission to find the girl in the photo.

“I needed someone who was a great, great performer and Zac is an underrated actor and I think people will see that in this role,” says Sparks.

“He does a phenomenal job … people will say, ‘Yes, he can play a leading man.'”

“The Lucky One” marks the fourth time Sparks and Di Novi have worked together and they’ve obviously grown comfortable collaborating.

“When I work with Denise she’s great at it, she gets it, she understands it … there’s nothing I ever have to explain to her,” Sparks says.

“For me it’s a joy,” counters Di Novo, an American who spent time growing up and working as a journalist in Toronto before heading back south to work in the film industry.

It’s great “to be handed a book where it has the greatest characters, the most wonderful story, and I already know the story works because millions of people have bought the book already. And there’s always themes that resonate with me and I know resonate with everyone else – about love, about finding inspiration in your life, and transcending your loss and hardship.

“So the books always have all the elements you need to make a great movie.”

While Sparks is very involved in the process of bringing his stories to the big screen, he’s learned when to let the filmmakers do their thing and use their artistic licence.

“The real key for me I’ve learned over the years is to pull back, is to know when to pull back,” he says.

“If my hand gets too heavy then all the movies will feel the same…. They all deviate and that’s a good thing.”

Perhaps the biggest revamp to one of his stories came when “A Walk to Remember” was adapted for the big screen. Sparks agreed that the film would benefit from having the story moved from the mid-50s era to present day.

“That’s why Nick is so great to work with, because he does allow us to interpret,” says Di Novi.

“The film is an interpretation of the book where we’re very faithful to the essence of the story and the characters – but it’s a visual medium and it evolves.”