Nights in Rodanthe

Nights in Rodanthe

Company type	Film
Industry	Film industry
Founded	2008
Products	Romantic drama film

Nights in Rodanthe is a 2008 American romantic drama film based on the 2002 novel by Nicholas Sparks. The movie features Richard Gere and Diane Lane reuniting for their third film together, following their roles in The Cotton Club (1984) and Unfaithful (2002).

Production took place in the coastal village of Rodanthe, North Carolina, situated on Hatteras Island, as well as in North Topsail Beach, North Carolina.

Plot

Adrienne Willis is going through a divorce from her husband Jack, who left her for another woman, creating strain with their rebellious teenage daughter, Amanda. When Jack expresses interest in reconciliation, Adrienne requests time to consider his proposal.

She travels to Rodanthe to oversee a friend's beachfront bed-and-breakfast. The only visitor at the inn is Paul Flanner, a surgeon troubled by a failed operation that caused a patient's death and subsequent wrongful death lawsuit. As an impending storm threatens, Adrienne and Paul work together to safeguard the inn, sharing meals and personal stories that lead to a blossoming romance.

Encouraged by Adrienne, Paul confronts his past by reaching out to the deceased patient's widower and makes plans to reconnect with his estranged son Mark, who practices medicine in Ecuador.

While apart, Adrienne and Paul exchange heartfelt letters. However, Paul does not arrive for their planned reunion; shortly after, Mark delivers Paul's belongings and informs her that Paul died in a mudslide while rescuing medical supplies. Mark expresses gratitude to Adrienne for honoring his father's memory.

Though grieving, Adrienne opens up to Amanda about the profound love she experienced with Paul and encourages her daughter to pursue similar happiness.

Returning once more to Rodanthe, Adrienne observes wild horses along the beach near the inn and visits the dock where she and Paul once danced with her children and close friend.

Cast

• Diane Lane as Adrienne Willis
• Richard Gere as Dr. Paul Flanner
• James Franco as Dr. Mark Flanner
• Scott Glenn as Robert Torrelson
• Christopher Meloni as Jack Willis
• Carolyn McCormick as Jenny
• Viola Davis as Jean
• Pablo Schreiber as Charlie Torrelson
• Mae Whitman as Amanda Willis
• Charlie Tahan as Danny Willis

Post-production

Following filming, the house featured in the movie was damaged by a hurricane. Subsequent owners relocated it within the Outer Banks, transforming it into a rental property called Inn at Rodanthe. Visitors can rent rooms redesigned to mimic those seen in the film, although interior scenes were filmed on sound stages. As of 2024, this property is available for purchase.

Box office

Nights in Rodanthe earned $41.9 million domestically and $42.5 million internationally, accumulating $84.4 million worldwide. Its debut weekend generated $13.4 million, placing second behind Eagle Eye. It ranked as Warner Bros.' thirteenth highest-grossing release of 2008.

Critical reception

The film was met with predominantly negative reviews, holding a 30% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and scoring 39/100 on Metacritic, indicating "generally unfavorable" critiques. Reviewers described it as "derivative and overly sentimental," noting that despite the appeal of Diane Lane and Richard Gere, their performances could not overcome the film’s shortcomings. Nevertheless, it performed well at the box office.

The Times included Nights in Rodanthe among the 100 Worst Films of 2008, while in 2010, Time listed it among the ten worst chick flicks ever produced.

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Nominee(s)	Outcome
2009	AARP Movies for Grownups Awards	Outstanding Grownup Love Story	Diane Lane and Richard Gere	Template:Nom

Home media

The film Nights in Rodanthe became available on DVD and Blu-ray starting February 10, 2009.