John Tyree, a Sergeant in the Army Special Forces, is lying on the ground in combat gear with multiple gunshot wounds to his body. Coins begin to fall over him as, in a voiceover, he recalls a childhood trip to the U.S. Mint. He compares himself to a coin in the United States Military, and states that the last thing he thought about before he blacked out was "you".
In 2001, John is on leave when he meets Savannah Lynn Curtis, a college student on spring break. Over the course of two weeks, Savannah and John fall in love. John meets Savannah's family, her neighbor, Tim Wheddon, and Tim's son, Alan who has autism.
Savannah meets John's father, a reclusive man who is only interested in coins. John tells Savannah his father's obsession with coins interfered with their relationship, and they are not close. Savannah mentions to John that his father, like Alan, may have autism. This upsets John, who gets into a fight with Savannah's neighbor, Randy and, in the process, accidentally punches Tim. John apologizes to Tim, leaves Savannah a note, and they spend one last day together. After his leave ends, John and Savannah begin a long-distance relationship through letters. Even though John planned on leaving the army, the September 11 attacks conflict him, and he ultimately chooses to re-enlist.
Over the next two years, John and Savannah correspond through letters. Ultimately, Savannah sends John a Dear John letter, informing him that she has become engaged to someone else. John, deeply depressed by the news, burns her letters.
Thereafter, John is shot several times by an enemy and, even though encouraged to return home, re-enlists. For the next four years, John takes part in many missions. While waiting to receive orders on his unit's next deployment, John is informed that his father had a stroke. When John arrives at the hospital, the doctor informs him that his father is in grave condition. John, feeling guilty that he was not there, asks the doctor if the outcome would have been different if John had been there with his father. The doctor does not think so, and John writes a letter to his father, which he reads to him at the hospital. It is then that the viewers learn that John's voiceover at the beginning of the film was from this letter, in which he told his father that the first thing to cross his mind after he was shot was coins, and the last thing to cross his mind before he lost consciousness was his dad, ultimately the most important thing in his life. Shortly thereafter, his father dies.
John then visits Savannah. He discovers that she married Tim, and that Tim has cancer. Savannah notes that Tim is confined to a hospital and in need of an experimental drug they cannot afford. John visits Tim in the hospital, where Tim apologizes to John for the situation, but indicates that he is happy his son will always have someone to care for him. Tim also notes that Savannah still loves John. John and Savannah have dinner together that evening, and John says goodbye to her.
John sells his father's coin collection, though he keeps the first mule coin they found together. He anonymously donates the money from the sale to finance Tim's drug. The next scene shows John back with his unit, using the mule coin in a coin toss with his soldiers. John then gets an unexpected letter from Savannah. She writes about how she received an anonymous donation to help Tim with his treatment, which gave him the opportunity to return home and say goodbye to friends and family before he died. She notes that she will always wonder where John is and how he is doing, but accepts that she lost the right to know a long time ago.
In the last scene of the film, John walks a bicycle down a block and, after stopping to lock it up, locks eyes with Savannah through a cafe window. Savannah exits the cafe, and they embrace and they live happily ever after.
How this relates to my Radio play?
-Content: Letters used to keep the lovers together throughout the story.
-Dialogue: Expression of love through letters and Diary enteries. Narration is done by a character of the film.
- Genre: Romance- War- Relationships
- Characterisation: John relates to Billy: Young, dismissive and caring. Lynn relates to Helena: Caring, innocent but vulnerable. Mr. Tyree relates to Emmett: Doesn't have a strong relationship with his son- cares more about a hobbie or work.
This film is similar to my radio play because it contains two lovers who communicate through letters during the war. Their love is distant however it is strong as they express their love through letter which is very similar to what Billy and Helena do. Relationships in this film also relates to my radio play as it is clear that John and his Father appear to have a very distant relationship because John's Father is more interested in coins than his own child . This is the same as Emmett and Billy as Emmett clearly seems more interested in his job and status instead of his sons dreams and emotions. Lynn and Johns relationship is also very similar to Billy's and Helena's relationship as they all risk everything for love and never want to give it up no matter what their situation is. This film also relates to my radio play because it follows the males story throughout which is similar to Billy telling his story throughout.
