Honestly, it’s nowhere near as bad as I was expecting, but that doesn’t mean it’s all that good either.

A Journal for Jordan takes a stirring true story and adapts it for the big screen in the most maudlin manner possible, and, as such, its sugary sweet sentimentality can often feel at odds with the very dark drama being depicted. The production values are likewise pretty poor (it can’t counter those “Hallmark movie” critiques), and it’s obscenely overlong at nearly 2 1/2 hours, with placid pacing as well, as the film flips between past and present seemingly on a whim, stopping any momentum the movie ever acquires dead in its tracks.

However, I can’t act that it’s entirely without earned emotional beats, as the climactic tragedy does elicit a few tears, and much of that is due to the captivating Chanté Adams, who carries the film irably and proves to be a persuasive leading lady. I sadly can’t say the same for Michael B. Jordan, who isn’t able to add much to the one-dimensional description of Charles King afforded to him by the script, making him little more than an idealized version of “The Perfect Man,” which feels jarring alongside Adams’ more multilayered portrayal of his partner Dana.

Those terrible trailers had me prepared for a major misfire with A Journal for Jordan, but in its worst moments, it’s merely just drab and drawn out in a way that a more decisive director or experienced editor would’ve caught before the final cut. Adams brings her A-game, but Jordan is devoid of his signature compelling charisma, making most of the main couple’s scenes rather hit-or-miss in of their emotional impact. And though the deeply felt finale tugs on the heartstrings, the flat filmmaking overall brings this one down.

2021 Ranked