Rating: Summary: Contrived with No Chemistry Review: Pleasant to sit through, but it didn't have enough sparks to give it the staying power of a "When Harry Met Sally". The "serendipity" was contrived--did we really need to see her touching his already chewed gum stuck to a seat--and overdone. And Cusak and Beckinsale were not actually onscreen together long enough to create the chemistry that would have driven the movie. Spent $8.50 at the theater, worth $3.75.
Rating: Summary: Serendelicious! Review: I have seen the theatrical trailers for "Serendipity" for quite a long time and I have to release a statement on this film. It looks absolutely great! The plot is that two people who meet each other by coincedence (or is it fate??) are turned into this great forever love. On this one cloudy, snowy evening, the two New Yorkers fight over a pair of black gloves at Bloomingdales and that's where it all begins. These two spend the night together skating and talking, and then when she wants to give him her number, the wind carries out to the rest of the city. The movie then continues three years later where the guy is getting married, but so is the woman. Now, destiny must pull them back together before it is too late. "Serendipity" stars John Cusack ("America's Sweethearts","High Fidelity") as the curious, intelligent man and Kate Beckinsale ("Brokedown Palace", "Pearl Harbor") as the delightfully humorous young woman who believes in destiny and fate. This movie looks great will co-stars Molly Shannon (TV's "Saturday Night Live", "Superstar", "Osmosis Jones") and Eugene Levy ("American Pie", "Best In Show", "American Pie 2"). This fun-fest is worthy enough to see and is perfect for this time of the year. Remember, when fate feels like magic, you call it destiny. When destiny has a sense of humor, you call it "Serendipity".
Rating: Summary: Previews look good Review: I saw the previews to Serendipity last week. Kate plays a charming role of a superstitious girl looking for the right guy. When she serendipitously discovers John Cusack one evening she thinks she's found the right guy only to reject him because of an odd twist of fate.... looks good. The interesting viewing may be when the two look for each other years later to see if the spark is still there.
Rating: Summary: Serendipity and Stupidity Review: This premise of this movie is just plain idiotic. Sara poses an almost impossible probabalistic challenge for her lover, Jon, by writing her address in a to-be-sold book. If he succeeds in obtaining this book, "fate" has allegedly worked its magic. The problem with this is that we are living in a probabilistic universe. Just how much "fate" do you need, anyway? Is not the chance of them meeting in the first place a miracle of "fate" in itself? Jon should have, in response, proposed tossing Sara off a skyscraper, leaving to "fate" whether she lives or not. The chances of her having a parachute handy is only marginally more likely than Jon finding her book, and far more likely than her finding sanity.
Rating: Summary: Captures of the essence of our fairy tale dreams Review: Once in a while a movie comes along that is so personal and so moving that it reminds us why we fall in love and keeps us believing that fairy tales really do come true. That movie is "Serendipity".John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale are fantastically romantic, funny and so charming that you can't help but sit up on the edge of your seat quietly rooting for them. Their smiles, glances, laughter and tears are so personal that you can't help but share their experiences. I found myself so caught up in the suspense that I just couldn't sit still. This movie was a winner from the opening scene all the way to the end -- and will definitey stay with me long after seeing it. The two would-be lovers have a chance meeting in New York City and coincidence after coincidence leads them to spend the most incredible day of their lives together. Years later, seperated by time and distance, they still cannot shake the memory of one another. Despite both of them being engaged, they still find themselves remembering that one special day and the one true love that got away. Fate deals them a new set of "signs" that have them racing against all odds to find their way back to one another against the clock of Cusack's wedding. Are they meant to be together? Does fate really lead us back to the ones we were meant to be with? "Serendipity" reminds us of all the things we already know; those fairy tale dreams that we carry within us. Buy this movie as soon as you get the chance! If you never own another romantic movie, this is the one you'll want to have because it is everything we want love to be.
Rating: Summary: Serendelicious! Review: I have seen the theatrical trailers for "Serendipity" for quite a long time and I have to release a statement on this film. It looks absolutely great! The plot is that two people who meet each other by coincedence (or is it fate??) are turned into this great forever love. On this one cloudy, snowy evening, the two New Yorkers fight over a pair of black gloves at Bloomingdales and that's where it all begins. These two spend the night together skating and talking, and then when she wants to give him her number, the wind carries out to the rest of the city. The movie then continues three years later where the guy is getting married, but so is the woman. Now, destiny must pull them back together before it is too late. "Serendipity" stars John Cusack ("America's Sweethearts","High Fidelity") as the curious, intelligent man and Kate Beckinsale ("Brokedown Palace", "Pearl Harbor") as the delightfully humorous young woman who believes in destiny and fate. This movie looks great will co-stars Molly Shannon (TV's "Saturday Night Live", "Superstar", "Osmosis Jones") and Eugene Levy ("American Pie", "Best In Show", "American Pie 2"). This fun-fest is worthy enough to see and is perfect for this time of the year. Remember, when fate feels like magic, you call it destiny. When destiny has a sense of humor, you call it "Serendipity".
Rating: Summary: Romantic, Entertaining Review: The belief in destiny is central to the plot of this movie. It is mix of "Fools rush in", "Sleepless in Seattle" and "When Harry met Sally". Destiny brings Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) to Bloomingdale's and they reach out for the same last pair of gloves. It starts a series of events that end happily several years later. That fateful evening they spend some time together- in the coffee shop, skating and looking at stars. Sara strong belief in destiny separates even though they both enjoy and feel strongly attracted to each other. Sara writes her name and phone number in a book and promises to sell it to a bookshop. She has Jonathan write his name and number on a five-dollar bill and buys mints with it. If, she reasons, fate has destined for them to be together, they will find each other's name and number. Flash forward a couple of years. Jonathan has met Hally (Bridget Moynahan) and is about to marry her. Sara has met Lars (John Corbett) and is engaged to him. But the memories of that magical night with each other are too wonderful to forget. A series of signs and the inevitability of marriage make Jonathan try to influence the destiny. In the meantime (coincidentally) Sara too sets out to search for Jonathan. What follows is a series of near misses that can sometimes test the limits of your patience. Eventually, as expected, the couple does meet and (obviously) dump their respective betrothed. The fact that the series of coincidences sometimes seem implausible or that the plot of the film is not innovative does not take away anything from the charm of the film. This entertaining movie is a definite date-flick. But the viewers will have to shutdown their logic processors before they really start enjoying this movie. All in all, a highly watchable flick that will leave you with a warm fuzzy feeling. This movie is highly recommended to hopeless romantics, destiny-believers and those just looking to spend a relaxed evening with their significant other.
Rating: Summary: A great soppy movie for Valentine's Day Review: Although it sounds similar to When Harry Met Sally, it's not as long, but just as good. While reading the blurb on the back, I thought this was going to be another attempt at a classic, but was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't so keen on John Cusack. There's just nothing interesting about him I'm afraid. He looks like every other generic male star out there. He's like Hugh Jackman when he doesn't have his X-Men beard.
This is an absolutely fantastic movie, all about fate and destiny, with Kate Beckinsdale, as the kooky perfectionist, who gets nervous when the engagement ring her boyfriend gets her doesn't fit. Of course her boyfriend is supposed to instantly know her ring size - I don't even know my ring size! At the start of the movie, she meets John Cusack's character, Johnathan, and refuses to tell him her name. She decides that fate will decide whether they will get to know each other, including leaving her scarf behind, and finding, getting him to write his name & number on a $5 note, and then buying something with it. This idea seemed particularly nuts, as she was going to wait for that same $5 note to come back into her purse. She then writes her name & number inside a book, and the gives it to a used bookshop the next day - the name of which she doesn't tell him. Of course, he goes into every single bookshop hoping to find this book. And then they get into different elevators in the Waldorf Astoria, and if they end up at the same floor, they're destined to be together.
Of course, due to an annoying little child, despite both characters going to the 23rd floor, Jonathan ends up at that floor too late, and consequently misses Sara. Will they meet up years later?
Kate is now going the same road as Catherine Zeta Jones, and was rocketed from obscurity to prominence with her performance in Pearl Harbor (which is my favourite movie) and proves to be a wonderful romantic lead in this film. Although her accent is one of those English ones that totally grates, she's fabulous. Eugene Levy is a scream as the eccentric Bloomingdales salesman, who blackmails Jonathan into buying half the store to give him information from Sara's charge account.
During filming of this movie in NYC, the following note was posted on a production trailer: "Yes, we are filming a movie. It is called 'Serendipity'. It stars John Cusack and some girl from Britain that you wouldn't know - even if we told you her name. We will be shooting tonight until midmorning. Please don't ask the crew any questions. Even if they don't look like they are working, they are thinking."
Following the destruction of the World Trade Center on 11 September 2001, images of the World Trade Center towers were digitally removed from all skyline shots of New York City.
Now I've seen this movie, I'm quite happy, and may just go ahead & watch When Harry Met Sally again, as it's a true classic.
Rating: Summary: Good for a chick flick Review: Braveheart, Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, The Last Samurai,Black Hawk Down and Glory rank as my all time favorites so you can guage where I am coming from. All these titles I own and proudly display. Behind them I keep a stack of chick flicks that no one knows I have, Serendipity is one of them.
When my girlfriend asked me why I purchased it I told her the truth, I have a crush on Kate Beckinsale, and like John Cusack. Later, after viewing the movie I can say it is one of the better of the genre.
Many may disagree. And I don't need to address the plot, as it has already been covered. More fantasy than reality. More fluff than angst. But it does have the fate-magic-destiny thing down to perfection. I rate it with Sleepless in Seattle as the best of its type.
Rating: Summary: Interesting Premise; Poor Execution Review: Much of the blame for the weaknesses of this film should be laid at the feet of screenwriter Marc Klein. And this is nothing new to film, how a potentially interesting concept turns into a weak script. John Cusack sleepwalks through this story of "fate", and Kate Beckinsale seems miscast as a Brit with an upper class accent. As the film starts we hear a song sung by Louie Armstrong, and though one must admit he sucks as a singer, one thinks, "well, okay, alot of cool people like Louie so it may be a cool film." Alas it was not to be.
From the opening scene at Bloomingdales when the camera pans some employees in the window one thinks, "looks like a nothing of a film coming up". One then sees Cusack and Beckinsale fighting over a pair of gloves. Though Kate is a beauty her accent doesn't fit well. Not to mention her best friend, Molly Shannon...now there's an annoying element to add into the mix.
Anyway, Kate has taken the idea of fate to the extreme and as the plot progresses becomes less and less realistic until it becomes a fantasy-based fairy tale. The synchronicity elements again are an interesting theme to explore, but this film uses them more as fill-in-the-blanks-of-a-romantic-comedy elements. The dialogue is strictly cheap laughs, and the ideas ripped from Sleepless in Seattle easily apparent. The comedy, the thing that could have made this worth watching falls flat as well, and Molly Shannon helps lower the bar to the SNL level of comedy.
The story, aside from the synchronicity, is bland and average, reminiscent of many good or not-so-good New York City romantic comedies. I recommend some other good Cusack films in its stead: High Fidelity and Gross Point Blanke.
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