Real-life couple from 'The Vow' at peace with Hollywood film

Feb 28, 2012 / 02:06 am

Krickitt Carpenter says she and her husband Kim are at peace with the film version of their story, “The Vow,” despite the movie's failure to mention the couple's deep faith in God.
 
The recent Hollywood film is based on Kim and Krickitt's real-life struggle to stay faithful to their  vows after a 1993 car accident just weeks into their marriage left Krickitt with no recollection of meeting, falling in love with, or marrying her husband.

Despite her memory-loss, Carpenter said she chose to love her husband “based on obedience to God” and not her feelings, “because the feelings had been completely wiped away.” 

“We made a vow before God,” she told CNA on Feb. 27, “so I chose to love him.”

“I hadn't read in the word of God that you can divorce over a head injury,” Carpenter joked, adding that she decided to make the best of her situation and “get to know this man that I was married to.”

Although their faith in God played an essential role in the Carpenter's marriage, the film version of “The Vow” – released on Feb. 10 by Sony-owned production company Screen Gems – removed any real mention of God or the couple's Christian faith.

“There's a few things that were terribly off that were a little hard to swallow,” Carpenter said of the movie, which stars Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams.

Carpenter said that she realized the world is “a much different place” now than it was over 15 years ago when she and her husband first signed the movie deal.

“We thought the movie would be a complete reflection of our story,” Carpenter said, “but Hollywood is Hollywood and...this is how the Lord is having it play out.”

Overall, Carpenter said that she and her husband “are at peace” with the film version of their story and trust that it will lead people to their book, which recently topped the New York Times best-seller list.

The movie, despite it's lack of overtly Christian themes, is “definitely putting people towards our book” which is where they will “be able to meet face-to-face with us and the God that did miracles in our lives.”

“When they read the book, they're even more amazed at an awesome story.”

The movie appeals to both “the believer and non-believer” Carpenter said, which is also why she and her husband were mostly pleased with it.

At the suggestion of a therapist, the couple worked to rebuild their relationship by starting over and were re-married in 1996. They now have two children who, Carpenter said, would not be here had she and her husband not remained faithful to their vows.