Marked Men: Rule + Shaw

I probably really would've like this movie when I was 14. The story is straight out of the Wattpad 2013 handbook: the names, the angst, the manufactured dark backstory for the MMC, the cliche bff that does nothing other than live for the FMC to return home, and the characters that sound like they just learned how to cuss. I really wanted to like the movie if only to honor younger me, but older me was disappointed. For a 1.5 hour movie, it was watchable and I only picked up my phone a couple times. The movie writers could've used the books as a jumping off point and written the script with more substance. Perhaps my biggest gripe with the movie is its lack of using Alexander Ludwig to his fullest potential.

I can't believe this movie is directed by Nick Cassavetes, the legend that directed mastepieces like Alpha dog and The Notebook.

Then i've checked who wrote the script..the same person that wrote the lame scripts of After 3 and 4.

I have to be honest, the script is flat it has no big substance that's why the characters are weak, definitely not actor's fault (even if Inanna again with that meangirl attitude...please move on).

It is not a drama, not a romance so i'mo wondering what it is. The story don't flow well as should like there's no plot to follow and we jump from one thing to the other. I do not feel the family dynamics and i don't feel any development of the characters.

The themes in the book should be taken more seriously and I'm giving a 6 only because of the third part of the movie.

A praise to the one in charge of costumes.

I know people always say it, but the book was definitely better. This is the story of Rule, who lost his twin brother in a car accident three years prior. He is a tattoo artist at a tattoo shop named Marked. Every Sunday Shaw shows up and takes him to dinner at his parents' house...no matter what state Rule is in (I.e. Hungover, etc).

Shaw was Rule's twin's best friend, but what Rule doesn't know is that she has secretly been in love with rule since she first saw him at fourteen years old. Shaw and Rule couldn't be more opposite. Shaw is a pleaser and Rule is unapologetically himself, but that is what Shaw likes about him.

On her birthday, Shaw gets drunk...which is unusual for her and Rule volunteers to take her home. There Shaw makes the most of her opportunity and throws herself at Rule, who eventually succumbs to her charms. Of course Rule is the king of one night stands, so the next morning to prevent an awkward situation, Shaw sneaks out only to be seen by Rule's roommate and his older brother.

Rule eventually apologizes to Shaw for not calling and wants to try a no labels relationship with her. Meanwhile, Shaw has an ex boyfriend who is having trouble with the word no and the two seem on a collision course. Of course Shaw's parents think her ex is more suitable than Rule.

One of the major differences between the book and the film lies in the tagging and just general behavior of Rule and his group of friends. In the book they come across as more mature and in the film they are depicted more as street punks who are immature and tagging with spray paint in their spare time. I didn't care for the younger depiction. I also felt like the ex was a full on stalker who ends up attacking Shaw in a very violent way in the book, whereas in the film it seems he almost accidentally hit her and then apologized immediately. In the book he was oblivious to his violence and trying to rape her as he is speaking about them getting married, almost in a mentally ill way. Oh! And the tattoos that Rule eventually gives Shaw are completely different in the film. I think if they were going to depict the snowflake tattoo, they should have put it in the right location at the very least...but I also wish they explained the meaning in the film, like in the book...and showed the addition to Rule's tattoos.

So, book better but I do think that they captured the sentiment of the story in the film and as such I do think romantics will enjoy it, especially YA romantics.

Marked Men is a new romantic drama by Nick Cassavetes, director of The Notebook and The Other Woman. The film is based on the book written by Jay Cownover.

Shaw Landon (Sydney Taylor) has had his eye on Rule Archer (Chase Stokes) since they first met. Rule is just a more rebellious tattoo artist, who doesn't really seem to have time for a serious relationship, especially not with a more hearty girl like Shaw.

After a party and getting to know each other over a beer, they take on the challenge and try to start a relationship despite their opposites. The two now just have to learn how to maintain this relationship without changing or ruining each other.

The author of the book starts with a bit of a cliché direction with an "impossible" romance between a more innocent girl and a bad boy. Which makes for a mysterious relationship. THE adaptation of the book to this film is done appropriately, but remains more fun for connoisseurs and lovers of the book. For other viewers it remains more of a standard romantic drama that remains on the predictable side with the standard clichés.

Sydney Taylor and Chase Stokes play their roles faithfully to how they come across in the book, but as actors they lack a confirmed chemistry.

Definitely missed the mark of what the book encompassed. They twisted what made their relationship so hard and yet so rewarding by making it more fluff. They left out how important their history was and how that really ruled Rule and his actions. Both families dynamics, which play a major role in their relationship was completely changed to more fluff. There was not character arc to be found. Both remained flat and you don't understand why they would or wouldn't be together to begin with. It followed the books in the most basic sense of bad boy tattooist and good girl looking for a wild ride. But the story line was difficult to follow and didn't flow well. Not the actors fault. They work with what they got. But the essence of the story was no where to be found.