The Big Picture

• The Vow was inspired by the true love story of Kim and Kricket Carpenter, who had to learn to love and live with each other again after Kricket lost her memory due to a car accident.
• While The Vow took creative liberties with the story, it captured the emotional turmoil and essence of the real-life romance. The couple faced trials and turmoil during this unprecedented event.
• Unlike the happy ending in the film, the real couple, Kim and Kricket, ended their marriage in 2018 due to Kim's infidelity. However, Kricket still believes in the possibility of love.

We've all wanted to turn back time and experience falling in love again with our favorite movie, book, and even person. Unfortunately, Kim and Kricket Carpenter managed to achieve that through a very harrowing and tragic journey. After a horrific car accident, the newlyweds' relationship took a dramatic turn as Kricket succumbed to severe brain damage and lost the past one and a half years of her life. Her memory placed her back to before she met Kim, leaving the two to learn how to love and live with each other again. This stressful and unusual period of their lives inspired a well-known 2012 rom-com, The Vow, featuring Channing Tatum as Leo (Kim) and Rachel McAdams as Paige (Kricket). However, although the film ended on a hopeful and optimistic note, the real couple's happy ending expired in 2018 when their divorce was finalized.

Who Do Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams Play in 'The Vow'?

The Vow opens with a cozy scene of the warmly-lit interior of a car with Paige and Leo sharing a wholesome moment, protected by the chilly snow outside but unprotected by the sudden headlights of a truck rear-ending them, sending an unbuckled Paige through the window. Although they both luckily survive the fatal crash, Paige's memory of her husband doesn't survive. With one half missing his lover and the other half getting to know a stranger, the couple navigate the post-crash confusion separately, with a healthy dose of family and ex-boyfriend drama thrown in the mix.

Kim and Kricket Carpenter's love story began in 1992 with a bizarre yet adorable meet-cute story that starts with a phone call. According to Reader's Digest Canada, Kim, the head coach of New Mexico Highland University's baseball team, was flicking through a sportswear catalog when Kricket's name caught his eye. He promptly called the sales associate number where Kricket was met with his incredulous question: "Is your name really Kricket?" It was love at first phone call.

After many strategically timed phone calls, a plane trip, and a year later, the couple's romance was cemented at the altar in September 1993. However, two months later, the honeymoon phase was cut short as an accident placed Kricket in a coma, then wiped out her memories of her newlywed life. Over the next couple of years, Kricket struggled with physical therapy and psychological and emotional confusion. Constantly wavering between improving and taking steps backwards, many arguments arose between the two lovers/strangers. Since Kricket had moved back in with her parents, Kim resolutely commuted between Phoenix and Las Vegas to both coach his team and support Kricket.

The couple had Christian beliefs ingrained into them and as such, despite the ever-increasing arguments, continued to commit to each other. In 1995, they finally decided to begin couples therapy, and then eventually, Kim began tentatively courting Kricket like he used to. After hard work, communication and conflict-free date nights, the couple renewed their vows in 1996, solidifying their new love for each other. In Reader's Digest Canada, Kricket described her experience as "growing into love," which she explained was "sort of like falling in love, only better."

How Accurate Is 'The Vow' to the True Story?

Naturally, The Vow did not strictly follow the events of the true story, and took heavy creative liberties with the couple's meet-cute, immediate divorce, Paige's relationship with her parents and her fictional ex-boyfriend. While the film did take creative license with the plot, the emotional turmoil and sanctity of the romance remained intact and, as such, it retained the essence of the real life story. Although it is a little disappointing that the filmmakers decided to make Paige and Leo's first encounter happen in the DMV rather than being a curious phone call to the sales associate of a catalog.

However, the immediate conflict and awkwardness following the amnesia is fairly accurate to what actually happened. While Kricket and Kim's fight did not escalate into a divorce like in the film, both real and fictional couples waded through trials and tumult during this essentially unprecedented event. On the other hand, Kricket's relationship with her parents was always close, and she did not have a meddling ex-flame interfering with her recovery. Paige, however, forgets the falling out with her parents and returns to them wide-eyed and confused. It is here that the filmmakers veer drastically away from the true story and the usual romantic comedy drama begins.

Essentially being transported to a different time period, Paige struggles to reconcile her unfamiliar present with her uncomfortable past. With Paige's overwhelming family intervening in her budding yet tense relationship with Leo by encouraging her romance with an ex-flame, the couple are unable to cover any meaningful ground to get their life back. Despite all the fictional drama, the film manages to capture Kim and Kricket's evolution from being on entirely separate wavelengths, to letting go of the past and starting over. Both couples have to resolve their internal turmoil in order to delicately work together for the future.

Real Life Does Not Get 'The Vow's Happy Ending

The end of the film comes full circle as Leo hesitantly asks Paige on a date while strolling in the snow, leaving us on a bright and heartfelt note. However, unlike Leo and Paige, the real couple, Kim and Kricket did not have a happy ending and ended their marriage in 2018. Unfortunately, their 25 years of a happy marriage ended due to Kim's infidelity, an allegation he did not deny. Kricket revealed to Inside Edition that she had "just figured it out" and that "it was shocking and surprising to [her] because [they] were so committed to each other and to the vow.”

Kricket did not regret any of the 25 years of marriage which resulted in her two children and a lifetime of loving and cherished memories. "I'm thankful for the 25 years that I had," she said, "because I have two amazing children, and we had so many great times together.” Despite the more bittersweet ending in real life, the film may have foreshadowed the positive note that arose once the divorce was finalized. Much like The Vow's concluding uplifting hint of potential romance, Kricket came out of the tragic turn of events still believing in the possibility of love.

The Vow is available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.

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