A twist on love your neighbor

Another view of The Choice…Love your neighbor is taken to the obvious–a neighborly love story–and perhaps symbolic, in The Choice (2016, USA).

Next door neighbors

Gabby is a medical student studying hard away at her books—seems to be a Saturday night, though, but she is a dedicated student.

Then, from outside comes a noise. Local vet and neighbor Travis turns up the music.

Nobody should hear loud music on a coastal township more loudly than Gabby who is right next door to Travis.

The scene is at night, with loud music booming through the stereo and into studious Gabby’s ear.

She runs out of her house and tells Travis to quieten down or else. Ah, for neighborly affection at times like these, but who wouldn’t feel more than a tinge angry?

There is more for Gabby to contend with. Travis is something of a ladies man who sees an ‘opportunity’ in her arrival.

But when neighbors get together, they can fall in love.

When Gabby and Travis come together, character development takes place.

Going deeper

Travis was chatting up some local girls. He had a silver tongue and, apparently, a way with woman, which might not have been a very good combination, for the sake of the woman in his life. But he was a ladies man. Travis learns there is more to a being a neighbor than flirting.

And Gabby learns that a neighbor is worth more than someone who is initially off-putting.

Travis and Gabby perhaps realize, though it goes unsaid, that neighborly love is about loving a person despite whatever is on the surface.

This looking closer takes love your neighbor beyond appearances. A hard thing to do, but if you are in love, that seems to be the easiest thing to do.

Warnings—sex scenes, coarse language

Notes—Ross Katz (Director), Bryan Sipe (writer, based on Nicholas Sparks novel), Featuring: Benjamin Walker (Travis), Teresa Palmer (Gabby), Maggie Grace (Steph), Tom Wilkinson (Shep), Alexandra Daddario (Monica), Tom Welling (Ryan)