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Two scarred teens find each other in a small Utah town in "Love Everlasting," a nicely acted but predictably tragic young-adult romance.
When Bridger Jenkins (played by model Lucky Blue Smith, a Spanish Fork native) fights back against an abusive stepfather, he and his mom, Helen (Emily Procter, formerly of "CSI: Miami"), leave Missouri in a beat-up pickup truck with $197 in gas money. The truck's engine blows up in the small town of Greenville, Utah, where they are given temporary lodging by a kind-hearted mechanic, Will Simms ('80s soap star Shawn Stevens).
Will has a daughter, Clover (Christie Burke, who played the adult Renesmee in the "Twilight" series). She's painfully shy and secretly cuts herself because of a dark incident that left her with a severe scar on her left cheek. After some initial conflict (telegraphed by numerous "Pride & Prejudice" references), Clover warms to Bridger, who wears a scar on his chest from a childhood heart transplant. Together, they face the wrath of the school bully, Bo (Austin R. Grant).
Writer-director Rob Diamond (who made the 2014 biblical allegory "Wayward: The Prodigal Son") doesn't reinvent the wheel here, and his melodramatic beats fall pretty much where you'd expect. He gets good mileage out of the beautiful Utah landscapes.
The saving grace of "Love Everlasting" is the cast, a mix of Hollywood pros (like Procter and Stevens) and local talent (such as Landon Henneman, who's charming as a sympathetic teacher). And while fangirls will swoon over Smith's Adonis looks, Burke's tender portrayal of the battered but resilient Clover is the performance that stands out most.
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HHhj
'Love Everlasting'
A by-the-book young-adult romance, shot in Utah, is improved by some strong performances.
Where • Area theaters.
When • Opens today.
Rating • Not rated, but probably PG-13 for some violence, mild sensuality and mature themes.
Running time • 93 minutes.