Many fans appreciated the respectful, "old-school" feel of the filmmaking.

You prefer fast-paced plots or dislike "tear-jerkers" that lean heavily into sentimentality. Quick Stats: Rotten Tomatoes: 42% (Critics) vs. 95% (Audience) IMDb: 5.8/10

You enjoy sincere, heart-wrenching true stories, military dramas, or "old-school" romances like those on The Hallmark Channel .

A Journal for Jordan (2021) is an old-fashioned romantic drama that received from critics but was much more warmly received by general audiences . Directed by Denzel Washington , the film is based on the real-life memoir by Dana Canedy about her fiancé, First Sergeant Charles Monroe King. The Story

The movie follows the relationship between (Chanté Adams), a New York Times editor, and Charles Monroe King (Michael B. Jordan), a dedicated soldier. While deployed in Iraq, Charles writes a journal for their infant son, Jordan, filled with life lessons and expressions of love before he is tragically killed by an IED in 2006. Critical Consensus Critic Perspective Audience Perspective Acting

Critics found it overly sentimental and "manipulative" at times.

Critics felt Washington's direction was "pedestrian" and lacked the spark of his previous work like Fences .

Some audiences also noted the slow start but found the emotional payoff at the end worth the wait.