Safe Haven (2013)
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A woman fleeing an abusive marriage finds a new life in a small town, only to have her past collide with her present.
The story
Barefoot and covered in blood, a terrified woman named Katie Feldman flees her abusive and alcoholic husband, eventually finding refuge in the small town of Southport, North Carolina. She takes a job as a waitress and begins a blossoming relationship with Alex Wheatley, a widowed father of two. While Katie attempts to build a new life and find safety, a police detective in Boston is searching for her, believing her to be a murder suspect. As the two lives begin to converge, Katie must navigate the complexities of her new life while the shadow of her past looms closer.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After fleeing her abusive husband, Katie Feldman settles in Southport, North Carolina, where she meets and falls in love with Alex Wheatley, a widower. While she tries to build a life with him and his children, a detective in Boston discovers that her face matches a wanted poster for a murder suspect. It is revealed that Katie actually killed her abusive husband during a violent confrontation. On the Fourth of July, her husband, Kevin, tracks her down and confronts her in a store. During a tense standoff involving a gun and gasoline, Katie manages to push him into the water and later shoots him to protect her new life. In the aftermath, Alex finds letters from his late wife, and it is revealed that his friend 'Jo' was actually the ghost of his late wife, Carly, watching over them.
- First release year
- 2013
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Lasse Hallström
- Writers
- Gage Lansky · screenplay; Dana Stevens · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Josh Duhamel · Alex Wheatley; Julianne Hough · Erin Tierney / Katie Feldman; Cobie Smulders · Carly Wheatley / Jo; David Lyons · Det. Kevin Tierney; Noah Lomax · Josh Wheatley; Mimi Kirkland · Lexie Wheatley; Irene Ziegler · Mrs. Feldman; Robin Mullins · Maddie; Red West · Roger; Juan Carlos Piedrahita · Detective Ramirez; Cullen Moss · Deputy Bass; Mike Pniewski · Lieutenant Robinson
- Genres
- romantic drama; romantic thriller
- Themes
- domestic violence; widowhood; survival; new beginnings
- Tone and mood
- melodramatic; sentimental
- Premise and plot tags
- romance; thriller; mystery
- Source material / true-story basis
- Nicholas Sparks' 2010 novel
- Reception
- The film received poor critical reception, described as melodramatic and predictable with a 'ridiculous' plot twist. However, it received a B+ from audiences and a three-star review from Empire magazine.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 13% · scale: percentage · review count: 146; Metacritic · score: 34 · scale: 100 · review count: 33
- Awards and nominations
- Teen Choice Awards · Choice Movie: Romance · nomination; Young Artist Award · Best Supporting Young Actress in a Feature Film · nomination
- Production trivia
- The film was originally set for a February 8 release.; Keira Knightley was in early talks to play the lead role.; It was the final film role for actor Red West.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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