There are plenty of reasons to remake a movie. Even the movies which were good in the first place. Would we say that no one can revive a Broadway play because it was so good the first time? Should a Beethoven symphony never be replayed because we have Bernstein's magnificent recording? We remake originals because we feel we have a new take on them. (Shakespeare thrives on that.) If the original was forgettable (or even forgotten), a remake will probably be easy (although not necessarily any better). But if the original was very good - or at least very memorable - a remake will be quite a challenge. The original Endless Love was controversial - either good or bad, depending on who is describing it - but it certainly was memorable. It was melodramatic and very much a soap opera - but it made the most of what it was. This remake fails the challenge. It remodels the guts of the narrative without retaining its bite. The original was dark, even risky. This is just sort of vanilla, if a bit anxious. I like Alex Pettyfer's work a lot, but he shouldn't have been cast as David, not because he couldn't act the role (he did well with it) but because he was too old. David is supposed to be just graduating high school and too shy to approach fellow senior Jade. Alex was coming off his very buff role in Magic Mike. He looks tall, dark and handsome. No way he wouldn't have had girls - and boys, too - all over him. Jade would hardly not have noticed him. The original - with David being 17 and Jade 15 - didn't face that problem. When producers secure the remake rights to a film, they pretty much can do whatever they want. But that doesn't mean it will work. This remake doesn't make it as a feature film. As TV movie which wasn't titled Endless Love, it might have fared better.

Shy Jade Butterfield (Gabriella Wilde) is a social wallfower who graduates from high school with no close friends. David Elliot (Alex Pettyfer) has admired her from afar. With encouragement from his father Harry (Robert Patrick) and best friend Mace, he tells her. David and Mace are country club valets. They go on a joy ride with Jade and promptly get fired. Jade asks her parents (Bruce Greenwood, Joely Richardson) for a party and invites the entire class. The Butterfields are wealthy while David's father owns the local garage. David tries to ingratiate himself with Jade's father but various issues drive him to oppose the relationship.

Romances should not be this hard to make. This is a lot of romantic cheese. Gabriella Wilde is really beautiful and has the characteristics for the role. Alex Pettyfer has survived on his pretty boy looks for far too long. His character is not completely appealing and he doesn't make it better. The cheesiness can be made appealing if done correctly. This is not close to that.