The great thing about this romantic comedy is the fact that it makes you want to embrace this saga of true love emphasizing its true meaning and power in spite of being too idealistic as well as highly coincidental for a real life event. So, if you are the type who vehemently believes in practicality and doesn’t want a break from it even when being entertained in the form of movies, please stay away from this. You won’t even like an inch of this story.
THE CAST
John Cusack:aka Jonathan Trager. A 35 year old television producer for ESPN, who is befuddled regarding his definition of love, who comes to believe that he was never really in love with his fiancé.
Kate Beckinsale:aka Sara Thomas. A young psychologist who is also a blind believer in destiny. She too is undergoing the same feelings for her fiancé as is Trager.
Jeremy Piven:aka Dean Kansky. A journalist for ‘The New York Times’. Also Jonathan’s best friend.
Bridget Moynahan:aka Halley Buchanan. Jonathan’s fiancé.
John Corbett:aka Lars Hammond. Sara’s fiancé.
Molly Shannon:aka Eve. A handicrafts saleswoman. Sara’s best friend.
THE PLOT
The story is basically about 2 young people who accidentally cross paths at a department store on Christmas Eve when they are about to choose the same present for their respective partners. A funny sequence of events ensue, leading to their acquaintance. Both take a strong liking to each other, but both being committed to someone else abstain from knowing each other better and leave it to destiny to decide if they deserve to meet again, provided they were really meant for each other.
Years go by , and nothing happens. Destiny doesn’t play its part to reunite them. Both are on the verge of getting married to their long time supposed soulmates, but both can’t quite forget those few hours of bliss, which they shared together which seemed to be a distant memory now. The 2 people talked about are Sara Thomas and Jonathan Trager. When realization finally hits home that the fortunate accident won’t happen each of them with the help of their best buddies go in search of this lost image of a typematch, each party is unable to forget. And then of course, follows a bizarre, captivating, ironic, incidental and romantic set of events which makes this beautiful movie. In other words , it begins to seem that nature starts conspiring to bring them together.
I’m sorry but I’d be a spoilsport to spill the last half of the movie which I am not…..;) if you know what I mean.
How is this movie different from any other romantic comedy?
Well, to start with the best thing about this movie is the excellent chemistry between Cusack and Kate which sets the tone for the whole film. Both are similar individuals, capable of conjuring up humor from even less than funny situations. That is a rarity in most such movies. To add to it, the rest of the cast mostly in the form of Jeremy and Molly keep the humorous trend going throughout the movie, which also is never executed all that effectively nowadays. This in turn does justice to its genre romantic comedy which many similar movies fail to execute.
Let’s face it there is that little part in all of us which wants to believe in unbelievable things preferably pleasant by nature, those happy coincidences which never seem to happen in true life. And this movie aims exactly at that, to touch those tender strings within us, an utopic escape from the harsh reality of our day to day life.
It gives us a modish alternative for the practical and realistic movies from the same genre which never lets us forget what life is actually about. Serendipity on the other hand, gives us what we want to believe, that everything will work out fine in the end.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FILM
1.Great performance by John Cusack. He really has pulled one out of the hat in this one, I mean we all know he’s naturally funny, but this time round it was his goofy self and the fact that he came up with the right kind of humor at the right time. Add to it, his sophomorically innocent antics and you get a tough combo to beat! This movie wouldn’t have been the same without him.
2.Kate Beckinsale responds equally well to Cusack’s obsessively goofy conduct with her own self assured, naïve and emotional self with the same type of humor. I think now you see why they complemented each other so well. One’s got to admire Kate’s versatile acting.
3.Kudos to the director for coming up with the right irony, right surprises and the right things to say in every situation. That is what was an essential feature in invoking the extra fascination in the audience one generally doesn’t find in romantic comedies.
4.The background tunes are greatly diverse and fit in scenarios perfectly, which’ll help you connect with the movie emotionally even better, making it a more enjoyable experience.
5.The reason this movie’s comedy was so striking was that it was unbelievably colloquial in situations it normally wouldn’t have been in such movies. When we talk of comedy, it is either present flat out or is very subtle when inserted in romantic films. But in this venture, maybe partly because of the persona of the actors, we get to see those traditional bounds broken in a very cavalier manner. That kind of thing is instrumental in making it more noticeable.
6.The opening 20 minutes is absolutely, blissfully enjoyable in a quiet way which paves the way for the movie to settle down a bit and be more enjoyable. By that time, you are totally hooked.
7.Romantic or not romantic won’t matter here, it is the type of movie which’ll make an impression on people of all ages, especially considering there are no unnecessary scenes which are offensive or uncalled for.
8.Absolutely no suspense in the ending, but still thoroughly enjoyable, that’s the power it possesses. A stimulating experience from start to finish!
Need I say more? A neat and entertaining movie for most and an absolute treat for hopeless romantics.
EXTRACT:
John: So, you’re going to see your boyfriend now or what?
Sara:No, i think he’s probably out doing what you are doing.
John:Getting a crush on someone else’s girlfriend?
Sara: [controlled laughter]
Go for it today!