The Vow (2012 film)

Plot Summary

The film opens with Paige Collins and her husband Leo leaving a movie theatre on a snowy night. While stopped at a sign, Paige unbuckles her seatbelt to kiss Leo, and at that moment their car is struck from behind by a salt truck, sending Paige through the windshield. Both are rushed to hospital, where Paige is placed in an induced coma. When she awakens, she suffers from severe retrograde amnesia, having lost all memories of her life with Leo, their courtship, and their wedding at the Art Institute of Chicago. She does not recognize her husband and is confused to learn he has never met her parents, Bill and Rita Thornton. Paige struggles to comprehend why she left law school, ended her engagement to her previous fiancé Jeremy, and became estranged from her family. Leo attempts to prove their relationship by playing a saved voice message, and Paige decides to return home with him instead of her parents, hoping familiar surroundings will trigger her memory. A welcome home party with friends overwhelms her, as she recognizes no one. The following day, Paige gets lost trying to visit a familiar café and calls her mother for help, returning to Leo's apartment. Tensions rise during dinners with her family, and Leo feels increasingly out of place. Paige encounters Jeremy at a bar and feels a renewed attraction, leading her to secretly meet him to discuss their past. During a tour of her art studio, Paige lashes out at Leo in frustration. As her sister Gwen's wedding approaches, Paige moves in with her parents. Leo takes Paige on a date and they spend the night together, but their strained relationship is further tested when Bill privately urges Leo to divorce Paige. After Jeremy taunts Leo, Leo punches him, and a heartbroken Leo accepts that Paige's memories may never return. A chance meeting with an old friend, Diane, reveals to Paige that her estrangement from her family was due to her father's affair. Confronting her mother, Paige learns Rita chose to stay with Bill despite his transgression. Reuniting with Leo, Paige learns he knew about the affair but chose not to use it to drive a wedge between her and her family. Paige rekindles her interest in art, eventually returning to sculpting and drawing, and turns down Jeremy's attempt to rekindle their romance. In the end, Paige discovers a menu card on which she had written her wedding vows. She meets Leo at the café and, while acknowledging their original relationship has ended, they agree to start anew, walking off arm in arm.

Production and Development

The film is loosely inspired by the true story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, a couple who detailed their experience in a memoir also titled The Vow. The Carpenters were married in September 1993 and, just ten weeks later, were involved in a serious car crash that left Krickitt with a traumatic brain injury, erasing all memories of her courtship and marriage. Kim remained devoted, though Krickitt viewed him as a stranger. The couple later divorced in 2018 after Kim admitted to an affair. The film rights to the memoir were acquired as early as 1996 by Caravan Pictures, with the development slate later transferred to Spyglass Entertainment. Stephen Herek was initially attached to direct before Michael Sucsy took over the project. The film changed distributors several times during development, moving from Disney to Paramount Pictures before finally landing at Sony Pictures for release. Casting was announced in June 2010, with Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum securing the lead roles. Principal photography for The Vow commenced in August 2010 and concluded in November of that year. Filming locations included Toronto, Ontario, and Chicago, Illinois, with the Art Institute of Chicago serving as a key setting for the couple's wedding scene. The production marked the final film from Spyglass Entertainment before the company's initial closure in 2012, prior to its revival in 2019.

Cast and Characters

The film features a ensemble cast led by two prominent Hollywood stars. Rachel McAdams portrays Paige Collins, a woman who loses her memory after a car accident and must rediscover her identity and relationships. Channing Tatum plays Leo Collins, Paige's devoted husband who struggles to rebuild their relationship from scratch. The supporting cast includes several established actors. Sam Neill and Jessica Lange play Paige's parents, Bill and Rita Thornton, who have a complex relationship with their daughter and her husband. Scott Speedman appears as Jeremy, Paige's former fiancé who sees an opportunity to re-enter her life. Jessica McNamee plays Gwen, Paige's sister. The cast also includes Wendy Crewson as Dr. Fishman and Tatiana Maslany as Lily.

• Rachel McAdams as Paige Collins
• Channing Tatum as Leo Collins
• Sam Neill as Bill Thornton
• Jessica Lange as Rita Thornton
• Scott Speedman as Jeremy
• Jessica McNamee as Gwen
• Wendy Crewson as Dr. Fishman
• Tatiana Maslany as Lily

Release and Box Office Performance

The Vow was released theatrically in North America on February 10, 2012, strategically timed near Valentine's Day. The film debuted at number one at the box office, earning $41.2 million in its opening weekend. Its opening day gross was $15.4 million. On Valentine's Day itself, the film grossed $11.6 million, setting a new record for the highest-grossing mid-week Valentine's Day, surpassing the previous record of $7.5 million held by Hitch. This record would later be broken in 2024 by Bob Marley: One Love, which earned $14 million. The film's international opening weekend added approximately $9.7 million. By the weekend of February 24-26, 2012, The Vow became the first film of the year to cross the $100 million mark in North America. It was the third film globally to reach that milestone in 2012, following Underworld: Awakening and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. The film concluded its theatrical run with a worldwide total of $196.1 million, against a production budget of $30 million. Its final gross was composed of $125 million in North America and $71.1 million from other territories. This performance secured its place as the eighth highest-grossing romantic drama film produced since 1980.

Critical Reception

Critical response to The Vow was mixed to negative, with many reviewers finding the film formulaic and emotionally shallow. On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 30% based on 132 reviews, with an average rating of 4.95 out of 10. The site's critical consensus states that while Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams do their best, the film is too shallow and familiar to satisfy discriminating audiences. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 43 out of 100 based on 28 critics, indicating mixed or average reviews. Some critics offered measured praise. Emma Dibdin of Total Film awarded the film three out of five stars, noting an essential sweetness and a chasteness that kept melodrama at bay. Helen O'Hara from Empire also gave three stars, calling McAdams excellent and Tatum surprisingly heartbreaking, and deemed it a wonderfully acted, if teary, romance. Stephanie Merry of The Washington Post noted the film had more promise and laughs than the trailers suggested, and highlighted the chemistry between the leads. Other reviews were more dismissive. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film two and a half stars out of four, calling it pleasant enough as a date movie but nothing more. USA Today described it as a hard-to-swallow, maudlin tale that might only appeal to ardent fans of tearjerkers. The most scathing critique came from James Berardinelli of ReelViews, who compared the film unfavourably to the Transformers series for young men, calling it a heartless, soulless product with almost no redeeming characteristics.

Music and Soundtrack

The musical score for The Vow was composed by Rachel Portman and Michael Brook. The original score album was released digitally on February 7, 2012, through Madison Gate Records. A separate soundtrack album featuring various artists was released on the same date by Rhino Records. The soundtrack compilation includes a selection of songs chosen to complement the film's emotional landscape. The digital version of this soundtrack also includes the track England by The National. The music was designed to reflect the film's themes of love, memory, and new beginnings.

Home Media and Accolades

The Vow was released on DVD and Blu-ray Disc in North America on May 8, 2012, by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The home media release allowed the film to find a continued audience following its successful theatrical run. The film did not receive major awards recognition from organizations like the Academy Awards or Golden Globes. Its primary accolades were its commercial achievements, including the Valentine's Day box office record and its position among the highest-grossing romantic dramas.

Canadian Connections

The Vow features significant Canadian connections, both in front of and behind the camera. The film was partially shot in Toronto, Ontario, with production taking place from August to November 2010. This contributed to the local film economy and provided recognizable Canadian locations for audiences. The cast includes Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, who was born in London, Ontario, and studied theatre at York University. Another Canadian talent in the cast is Tatiana Maslany, who appears in a supporting role. While the film is set in Chicago, its production footprint in Toronto adds a layer of interest for Canadian viewers and film industry observers.

Questions about The Vow (2012 film)

Is The Vow based on a true story?

Yes, The Vow is loosely inspired by the true story of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter. The couple married in September 1993 and were in a severe car crash just ten weeks later. The accident caused Krickitt to suffer a traumatic brain injury that erased all her memories of meeting, dating, and marrying Kim. The Carpenters wrote a memoir about their experience, also titled The Vow, which served as the basis for the film. The film takes significant creative liberties with the real events and characters.

Where was The Vow filmed?

Principal photography for The Vow took place from August until November 2010. Filming locations included both Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Key scenes, such as the wedding at the Art Institute of Chicago, were shot on location in Chicago. The use of Toronto as a production hub is a notable Canadian connection for the film.

How did critics receive The Vow?

Critical reception was largely mixed to negative. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 30% approval rating based on 132 reviews. Critics often praised the performances of Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum and their chemistry but criticized the film for being overly familiar, shallow, and formulaic. Some reviewers found it a pleasant enough date movie, while others were far more dismissive of its emotional depth and narrative contrivances.

Who composed the music for The Vow?

The original score for The Vow was composed by Rachel Portman and Michael Brook. The score album was released digitally on February 7, 2012. A separate soundtrack album featuring various artists was released on the same day by Rhino Records. The soundtrack includes songs chosen to match the film's tone, with the digital version also containing the song England by The National.

What is the box office record set by The Vow?

The Vow set a record for the highest grossing mid week Valentine's Day. On Valentine's Day 2012, the film grossed $11.6 million, breaking the previous record of $7.5 million held by Hitch. This record was later surpassed in 2024 by Bob Marley: One Love, which earned $14 million. The film also had a strong opening weekend, debuting at number one with $41.2 million. In late February 2012, The Vow became the first film of the year in North America to cross the $100 million mark. It ultimately earned a worldwide total of $196.1 million.

When was The Vow released on DVD and Blu ray?

The Vow was released on DVD and Blu ray Disc on May 8, 2012. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment handled the distribution of the home media. This release came after the film's theatrical run earlier that year. The film was a commercial success in theatres, which likely prompted the home video release. The DVD and Blu ray allowed audiences to own a copy of the romantic drama.

Sources and further reading

• The Vow (2012 film) (Wikipedia)
• The Vow (2012) directed by Michael Sucsy, Letterboxd (letterboxd.com)
• Movie review: The Vow (movieshowplus.com)

Checked by the Yadude Books desk. Last updated 2026-11-05.