I haven't watched Il Mare, the Korean original starring Jeon Ji-hyun, in which this Hollywood remake is based upon. I refuse to watch the original on VCD, and had no luck in tracking down a DVD copy. I guess it's just a matter of time before I order it online, some box-set no less.
In any case, what probably excited audiences to the remake, is the pairing of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, one which has been long overdue since their very first pairing which sizzled with chemistry, and that being on an action movie no less - Speed. While both had moved on to star in various romances with other counterparts such as Charlize Theron, Cameron Diaz, Bill Pullman, Ben Affleck and Harry Connick Jr., the wait is over as they now reunite on screen in The Lake House.
But throughout the 100 minutes movie, they share not more than 15 minutes of screen time together, and those are precious minutes which will have the audience inevitably rooting for something to happen. Especially so with the time-travel note-in-the-letterbox plot device where comedic, smart alecky words slowly turn into mushy terms of endearment. Reeves and Bullock, considerably aged from their first outing together, are perfectly cast as the unlikely lovers separated by time.
However, to fit into the typical Hollywood finale, there's a huge plot loophole in the time travelling piece, which I find a pity, then again, it's probably an ending that most people would expect, and crave for? As the story progressed, there were no issues with time travelling being in the way of the narrative. Keanu's Alex is an architect in the year 2004, and Sandra's Kate is a doctor in the year 2006. They are occupants of a house on a lake in Chicago, and slowly find that through a strange twist of Fate, they are communicating with each other through an old fashioned mailbox.
And because one person is ahead of the other in time, Alex is able to see and come to know the Kate of year 2004, except that at that point in time, she doesn't know him yet. It's one of the usual story techniques used to work an emotional reaction from an audience, and here, it's executed perfectly too, as they work towards a reunion meeting in the year 2006, then 2008. Good things, ought to wait, no?
Eagle eyed viewers though, will spot a key plot revelation early in the movie, and will be able to unravel the entire plot thereafter. However this probably wouldn't mar the enjoyment of the film, as the focus will be on how the story gets told, and admittedly, that's the draw which turned out fine, until the end where the film decides to go heck with the time travel crutch it has to rely on.
Modern day stuff and devices are not included, like email and cameras, as modes of communication between the lovers, which will obviously remove a lot of romanticism from the movie, and shorten the duration too. To fill time in what could essentially be a short movie, and to vary the kind of scenes instead of the usual voiceover communications and reading of letters, there is a subplot involving Alex's dad (played by veteran Christopher Plummer).
The Lake House, in my opinion, is a reasonably wonderful romance movie to take a date too. It's full of cliches, warm moments, and enough tension built up towards the end to satisfy, and with that plot loophole, provide enough material for you and your date to discuss it over.
No comments:
Post a Comment