The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

11% Tomatometer 83 Reviews 61% Popcornmeter 10,000+ Ratings

Travis Shaw (Benjamin Walker) is a ladies' man who thinks a serious relationship would cramp his easygoing lifestyle. Gabby Holland (Teresa Palmer) is a feisty medical student who's preparing to settle down with her long-term boyfriend (Tom Welling). Fate brings the two together as Gabby moves next door to Travis, sparking an irresistible attraction that upends both of their lives. As their bond grows, the unlikely couple must decide how far they're willing to go to keep the hope of love alive.

Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

The Choice

The Choice

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Like the 10 Nicholas Sparks movies before it, The Choice finds tragedy striking star-crossed lovers in the sun-dappled South -- yet even for those who loved its predecessors, this gauzy melodrama may feel painfully formulaic.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (83) Critics Reviews
The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (1) Roxana Hadadi Chesapeake Family Magazine The Choice is another tired retread of Nicholas Sparks's favorite themes: good ol' Southern living, problematic women, and the specialness of love. Rated: 1.5/5 Aug 2, 2016 Full Review The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (2) Udita Jhunjhunwala Scroll.in Sappy and corny, The Choice will either make you bawl your eyes out or dull you into a coma. Jun 21, 2016 Full Review The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (3) Max Weiss Baltimore Magazine The thing that's particularly galling about his latest installment, The Choice, is that the script seems to think it delivers a sophisticated and witty battle of the sexes. Rated: 1.5/4 Jun 10, 2016 Full Review The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (4) Richard Crouse Richard Crouse If you enjoy being manipulated and cry easily you make (or may not) enjoy the movie. That choice is yours. Rated: 1/5 Feb 3, 2021 Full Review The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (5) Avaryl Halley Movie Bitches This movie was not very good and rather boring. Apr 30, 2020 Full Review The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (6) Andrew Galdi Movie Bitches It was the biggest mess of them all. Apr 30, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (348) audience reviews

Ashley F Chihuahua puppies and bad wigs are the only thing that distracted me from the bad acting. The book was good, so I watched it. Rated 2/5 Stars • Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/18/25 Full Review Angel G What an annoying woman, it's hard to believe that anyone would fall for her. Poor acting, lovely setting. Rated 0.5/5 Stars • Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 10/24/24 Full Review Samantha L Alright, let’s be real here—at some point, we’ve all caved to the guilty pleasure that is a Nicholas Sparks movie. You can’t fault me for loving a good romance that grabs you by the feels and doesn’t let go. And when the mood calls for a solid cry session, I’m not above throwing on one of these heartstring-tugging flicks. The Choice fits that bill perfectly. It’s got all the classic Sparks hallmarks: emotional stakes, life-altering decisions, and just the right amount of drama to keep you hooked from start to finish.So, here’s the deal: Teresa Palmer is an absolute powerhouse in this. She brings Gabby to life with a mix of vulnerability and strength that makes her super easy to root for. You can’t help but love her, and honestly, Palmer just radiates in every scene. Benjamin Walker? Not as big of a name, but he holds his own. There’s this quiet intensity he brings to Travis, and when he finally pours his heart out? Yeah, you feel it. It’s one of those performances that sneaks up on you.Now, let’s talk chemistry—because it’s all about that in these kinds of movies, right? Palmer and Walker totally sell it. From their flirty, awkward moments to those deep, emotional scenes, you can feel the sparks flying. It’s that kind of romance that has you saying, “Okay, I see you, Nicholas Sparks, I see what you’re doing here.”And just when you think it’s all smooth sailing, bam! The emotional rollercoaster kicks in, because of course, it’s a Sparks movie—there has to be a tear-jerking twist. Without giving too much away, Travis finds himself facing some pretty gut-wrenching decisions, and that’s where the film really hits its stride. You know the drama’s coming, but man, does it hit you hard when it does. You’ll be glued to your seat, tissues in hand, bracing yourself for the inevitable.Special shout-out to Tom Welling—who’s looking way more Superman than Clark Kent these days—and Tom Wilkinson, who plays Travis’ dad with the kind of gravitas only Wilkinson can deliver. And hey, South Carolina has never looked more gorgeous! The cinematography captures those sweeping landscapes so beautifully, it almost feels like a character in itself.At the end of the day, The Choice knows exactly what it’s aiming for—and it nails it. It’s not out to reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t have to. If you’re looking for a sweet, heartfelt romance with just enough drama to keep things interesting, this movie’s got you covered. It’s charming, it’s emotional, and it’s everything you want from a Nicholas Sparks adaptation. Go into it with your heart wide open, and you’ll walk away with all the feels. Rated 3.5/5 Stars • Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/14/24 Full Review Mandy E props to the lead actress for giving this horrible script her all. Rated 1/5 Stars • Rated 1 out of 5 stars 07/29/24 Full Review Beth H Charming touching and heart felt. Beautiful photography too; makes me want to visit South Carolina. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 07/16/24 Full Review Sabrina You know what you're feeling with a Sparks movie. Love the atmosphere, the characters and the story. Rated 5/5 Stars • Rated 5 out of 5 stars 03/25/24 Full Review Read all reviews

The Choice

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Ross Katz Director Benjamin Walker Travis Shaw Teresa Palmer Gabby Holland Maggie Grace Stephanie Parker Alexandra Daddario Monica Tom Wilkinson Dr. Shep
Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew

More Like This

View All Best Movies to Stream at Home

The Longest Ride 31% 71% The Longest Ride Watchlist Me Before You 54% 73% Me Before You Watchlist TRAILER for Me Before You Endless Love 16% 58% Endless Love Watchlist Beyond the Lights 83% 75% Beyond the Lights Watchlist TRAILER for Beyond the Lights Tyler Perry's Good Deeds 37% 76% Tyler Perry's Good Deeds Watchlist Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Related Movie News

View All Related Movie News
On DVD This Week: Joy, The 5th Wave, The Choice, and More Box Office: Panda Remains Champ Over Super Bowl Weekend Hail, Caesar! Is Certified Fresh

Videos

View All videos

The Choice

The Choice: Blu-Ray Trailer 1 The Choice: Blu-Ray Trailer 1 1:46 The Choice: 'Choose Love' Trailer The Choice: 'Choose Love' Trailer 1:00 The Choice: Trailer 1 The Choice: Trailer 1 2:24 View more videos

Photos

View All The Choice photos

The Choice

The Choice (2016) View more photos

Synopsis Travis Shaw (Benjamin Walker) is a ladies' man who thinks a serious relationship would cramp his easygoing lifestyle. Gabby Holland (Teresa Palmer) is a feisty medical student who's preparing to settle down with her long-term boyfriend (Tom Welling). Fate brings the two together as Gabby moves next door to Travis, sparking an irresistible attraction that upends both of their lives. As their bond grows, the unlikely couple must decide how far they're willing to go to keep the hope of love alive.

Director
Ross Katz

Producer
Nicholas Sparks, Peter Safran, Theresa Park

Screenwriter
Bryan Sipe, Nicholas Sparks

Distributor
Lionsgate Films

Production Co
Nicholas Sparks Productions, POW! Productions, Safran Company

Rating
PG-13 (Some Thematic Issues|Sexual Content)

Genre
Romance, Drama

Original Language
English

Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 5, 2016, Wide

Release Date (Streaming)
May 31, 2016

Box Office (Gross USA)
$18.7M

Runtime
1h 51m

Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now
The Choice | Rotten Tomatoes (2025)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6397

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.