The Best of Me (2014)

The Best of Me (2014), a romantic drama directed by Michael Hoffman and written by Will Fetters and J. Mills Goodloe, is adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name. Dawson Cole, who works on an offshore rig near Louisiana, experiences a life-threatening explosion while on the job. After making a miraculous recovery, he discovers that his dear friend and father figure, Tuck, has passed away. Returning home after nearly two decades for Tuck’s final wishes, Dawson is surprised to find that Tuck has arranged for his high school sweetheart Amanda to join him. It appears that Tuck’s intention was to reconcile their past hurts. Unfortunately, Amanda is now married.

Dawson, born into a notorious backwoods criminal family with an abusive father, had a difficult upbringing. As a teenager, he left home and found refuge in Tuck Hostetler’s garage. Tuck, a kind local mechanic who had recently lost his wife, took Dawson in and treated him like his own son. At the same high school, Dawson met and fell in love with Amanda. On the day of prom, tragedy struck when Dawson’s father and brothers attacked Tuck. In a fit of rage, Dawson went to confront his father with Tuck’s rifle but ended up accidentally killing his expectant teen cousin during their scuffle. To receive a reduced sentence, Dawson testified against his own family members.