In the end, though, the film disappointingly, even lazily, shies away from being anything more than you’d expect.

What grates is the lack of attention to details. There is a grating sloppiness to much of The Choice, both narratively and stylistically.

The Choice is another endless, nearly-sinless-in-the-sun Sparks melodrama, one that benefits from a couple of charming leads and some folksy, down home humor. But that title frames it in tragedy. And that “choice” leaves this tepid romance mired in the maudlin.

Consider your multiplex choices carefully as Valentine’s Day approaches; you might find yourself weeping tears of relief when the credits finally roll.

Most Nicholas Sparks adaptations say, in cinematic terms, nothing so complicated as "roses are red." This one just points to a garden and shrugs.