James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan get loved up in the latest romance from weepie master Nicholas Sparks

REVIEW: Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden stick to the formula in another sob story from the pen of Nicholas “The Notebook” Sparks.

The Best of Me (M)

Director: Michael Hoffman (The Last Station)

Starring: James Marsden, Michelle Monaghan, Luke Bracey, Liana Liberato.

Rating: **

Just another episode of Sparks and recreation

Here comes the latest eyeball-mister-upper based on the watery writings of Nicholas ‘The Notebook’ Sparks.

Whether this news has you reaching for a tissue or the nearest bucket is of little concern to this author of countless best-selling sob stories.

The man has a formula, a fanbase and a foolproof way of smooshing them together to turn top-dollar.

Sparks cannot be easily stopped. But he can be safely avoided. We all should know by now where we stand with this maestro of the mawkish.

MICHELLE MONAGHAN: The Best of Me filmed after maternity leave

JAMES MARSDEN: Parenting advice for Ryan Gosling

Aahs, oohs and boo-hoos aplenty ... James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan reunite after being childhood sweethearts in a scene from film The Best of Me.

No-one commits to watching a Nicholas Sparks movie by mistake any more. So any and all complaints about this junk are bound to fall on deaf ears.

James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan play Dawson and Amanda, a couple long separated by an unnecessary misunderstanding.

They used to go out together in their teens. Then something bad happened that — deep breaths, everyone — meant they had to go their separate ways.

Former childhood sweethearts ... James Marsden as Dawson and Michelle Monaghan (Amanda) in a scene from film The Best of Me.

Amanda went on to marry someone else. Dawson never so much as dated ever again. Now they have been brought together once more, at the reading of a will of an old dead friend.

This triggers a stop-start parade of feeble flashbacks which will continue throughout the picture.

The younger Dawson and Amanda are played less than convincingly by Luke Bracey (who weirdly looks older than Marsden from a certain angle) and Liana Liberato (no resemblance to Monaghan whatsoever).

We will eventually discover the spectacularly silly reason why Dawson and Amanda were never meant to be. And will wait patiently through the subsequent kisses in rainstorms and candlelit confessionals to find out if Dawson and Amanda might ever be again.

There is a longstanding contract between Sparks and his devoted following — let’s call them Sparksplugs — that must be honoured.

A wobbly jelly of a tale ... James Marsden as Dawson in a scene from film The Best of Me.

Therefore The Best Of Me does not relent until it has discharged every last longing look, lovelorn lunge and lachrymose loss of luck that its audience demands.

As a solid delivery system for aahs, oohs and boo-hoos, the efficiency of it all has to be acknowledged.

The question is why did they breakup ... Dawson, played by James Marsden, and Amanda (Michelle Monaghan) in a scene from film The Best of Me/

As must the near-insane levels of belief that need to be suspended in order for this wobbly jelly of a tale to settle in one’s brain.

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Originally published as James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan get loved up in the latest romance from weepie master Nicholas Sparks