“2 Hearts” has its heart in the right place. It’s too bad it’s a film that relies way too much on clichés and tropes, ultimately asking the audience to suspend disbelief in ways that are physically impossible.

“2 Hearts” is essentially two Nicholas Sparks movies rolled into one with parallel love stories taking place throughout the film. In one story a Cuban exile with a medical condition named Jorge (Adan Canto) meets a flight attendant named Leslie (Radha Mitchell) and the two quickly develop a romance.

At the same time, a young college student named Chris (Jacob Elordi) develops a friendship with a classmate named Sam (Tiera Skovbye)  – a friendship that the young man soon realizes is much more.

Both stories unfold in a rather predictable manner, with Chris serving as the narrator (a decision that really hinders the pacing of the film).

To the credit of the four leads they all do an adequate job with the material they are given. Even though “2 Hearts” is based on a true story, the screenplay consistently feels like it is stretching the lines of credibility.

It all builds to a narrative decision that is so jarring it undermines everything before it. It’s not just a misstep it is a colossal attempt to cheat the audience that the decision is unforgivable.

At that point nothing else that happens in “2 Hearts” matters because the curtain has been drawn back and the wizard has been exposed as a manipulative fraud. 

It’s unfortunate because “2 Hearts” had the potential to work, but this end result is nothing more than a glorified Hallmark Channel movie of the week.

Starring: Radha Mitchell, Jacob Elordi

Directed by: Lance Hool

Rating: PG-13 for brief strong language

Playing at: Opens Friday in select locations in Nashville

Grade: C-