SERENDIPITY (**)
SERENDIPITY is a movie for hopeless romantics. At first glance, it may sound like I'm panning this film. But I do consider myself a hopeless romantic, so on some level, SERENDIPITY worked for me. But the screenplay is too contrived for me consider this a worthwhile picture.
All the elements seemed in place for this movie to work well. It has two very likeable stars that we want to see kiss (which is the main ingredient for a romantic comedy to work). It has a subject that seems quite interesting. It's just that the film's events unfold in such an unrealistic manner, it seems more of a TV sitcom than a funny blossoming romance.
Consider the two leads, whom both project sensibility. John Cusack has always played smart characters, as has Kate Beckinsale (in her case, I think being British is a pre-requisite for being smart). Their characters meet cutely while shopping for the same pair of cashmere gloves. It's apparent that they're strongly attracted to each other. They both find out that each is dating someone else. As they part, they both leave something behind, return for their items, and meet again.
Now doesn't that seem like a good sign already?
For Sara (Kate Beckinsale of PEARL HARBOR), it doesn't. Just because a piece of paper with her number is blown away as Jon (John Cusack of HIGH FIDELITY) is asking for it. At this point I'm thinking, get another piece of paper and fill it out. If it gets blown away again, then either she's an idiot, or it really isn't meant to be. But no. She takes it so seriously, that she decides to leave it up to fate. She then takes Jon to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel so they can both enter separate elevators and each pick a random floor. If they both pick the same floor, she thinks it'll work out (if I were Jon, I would've pressed the ground floor and waited for her to come through the main door).
Kate Beckinsale is a good actress, but not convincing enough to make me believe her character is that dumb. If she plays a therapist in this movie, her character could not possibly be that stupid.
But all of this of course is needed to setup the amusing (and sometimes well conceived serendipitous occurrences) in the screenplay. But then the subpar writing comes in, which is especially evident in the speechifying scenes. (E.g. stories about constellations, soulmates, weddings, signs, etc.). Do real conversations between friends and lovers really sound like this under the circumstances like that of this movie? Even remotely? Hell no.
The one thing this movie does get right are the moments when the two characters look back on what might have been, due to the sights and sounds that remind them of each other. That is the movie's strength. And it is strongest in one scene where Jon gets a wedding gift from his bride-to-be. It is a truly hilarious yet somewhat poignant scene where John Cusack's reaction is absolutely priceless.
John Cusack is one of my favorite actors. In the roles of lovable movie losers, he sits firmly on top (with Rob Schneider at the bottom). He is the smart, affable, nice guy who finishes last, and for whom we want things to work out right. This movie along with his last (AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS) has kind of been a blip on the "bad-choices" radar screen that we wish would go away. Please Mr. Cusack, go back to what your good at, which is playing smart guys. What smart guy would go for a woman who throws everything away to chance?
No doubt this movie is funny, but only sporadically. You can feel a presence guiding the directions of all the characters involved in this story, but sometimes it seems mean-spirited. I hope fate is never that cruel to me. As Roger Ebert said in his review, "Fate is not merely knocking on the door, it has entered with a SWAT team and is banging their heads together..."
Posted by FLIPCRITIC at November 20, 2001 12:00 AM