Relativity has released the first The Best of Me trailer for the latest Nicholas Sparks adaptation.  Directed by Michael Hoffman (The Emperor’s Club), the romantic drama centers on two teenagers from opposite sides of the tracks (aren’t they all?) who fell in love in high school but were torn apart shortly thereafter, setting them on two radically different paths.  They reconnect in their hometown twenty-five years later, where they’re forced to drum up the past and confront painful memories.  James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan play the modern-day version of the pair, and if you’re familiar with any of the previous Sparks adaptations (and there are many), this trailer is nothing unexpected.  There are longing looks, a passionate love rekindled, and shots of people crying presumably because someone died.

Hit the jump to watch the The Best of Me trailer and to check out the first images from the movie.  The film also stars Luke Bracy, Lina Liberato, Caroline Goodall, and Gerald McRaney.  The Best of Me opens in theaters on October 17th.

Here’s the official synopsis for The Best of Me:

Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, The Best of Me tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of a beloved friend. Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they've never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures  the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.

Watch the trailer below via Relativity Media.