‘Lake House’
Screenplay written by: David Auburn, (based on the Korean
film
”
Il Mare
”
(Tony and Pulitzer Award winning writer for
”
Proof
”
, 2005)
Actors: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Plummer, Dylan
Walsh
Directed by: Alejandro Agresti
Rated: PG (For some language and a disturbing image)
‘Lake House’
Screenplay written by: David Auburn, (based on the Korean film “Il Mare” (Tony and Pulitzer Award winning writer for “Proof”, 2005)
Actors: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Christopher Plummer, Dylan Walsh
Directed by: Alejandro Agresti
Rated: PG (For some language and a disturbing image)
Kate (Sandra Bullock) is a hard working physician in 2006 who has just taken a position in a relentlessly demanding Chicago hospital. The toll the stress and long hours takes helps shape her reluctant decision to move from the remote lake house she loves living in to a nearby high-rise condominium. With life being either generally overwhelming or emotionally lacking, and needing a more personally satisfying existence, she also ends a relationship with a man (Dylan Walsh) who is determined to marry her.
When she sadly moves out of the house by the lake, she leaves a note in the mailbox requesting the next tenant to please forward her mail which is read by a former occupant of the house, Alex (Keanu Reeves). He is moving back to the place of his fondest childhood memories to renew the warmth he felt there once and escape being an ungratified suburban architect living in the shadow of his estranged father’s well earned reputation as an eccentric and driven iconic architectural genius (Christopher Plummer). Corresponding by leaving personally revealing and yet baffling notes for each other, Kate and Alex nurture their hopes of a meaningful and lasting love – even if they are separated by actually experiencing reality two years apart.
He Said:
If you can put Einstein’s theories of time and space completely aside, and just go for the ride, The Lake House is a mildly enjoyable and engaging twist on the proverbial theme of two lonely souls looking for love. Being an appreciator of sci-fi and fantasy, I found the concept of two people living parallel lives in two different times a refreshing notion and interesting premise to an otherwise predictable love story. I say that because you will know in the first ten minutes the pivotal event that could easily serve the story to mesh their different time continuums.
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock did a good job of underplaying their somewhat gloomy characters and had surprising chemistry together even if they only co-existed in brief moments. This unusual love story will engage you emotionally and intellectually and in the end, you will be as satisfied with the unusualness of “The Lake House” entertainment experience as I was. However, with the belief that love can transcend time excluded, Einstein definitely rolled over in his grave!
On the R&R Scale (1-10):
7 for Script: Innovative.
6 for Direction: Risky time bouncing reasonably well done.
7 for Acting: Even the minor roles were done well.
7 for Plot: The simple made interestingly complex.
6 for Entertainment Value: It will engage your mind and heart.
6.6 Overall
She Said:
As big an appreciator of the art of creating the suspension of disbelief and some concepts put forth in meta and quantum physics, I really tried. But alas, I just couldn’t get there with this script or by the direction that could have plugged the holes time and time again. Just when I would begin to buy into the notion of one member of our rather sad love-lacking couple co-existing simultaneously years apart by the help of a magical mailbox, something incongruent or so preposterous would happen that completely confounded me. Eventually, I wanted to give up trying to make some sense of the irritating discrepancies. (The dog, Jack, who lived concurrently in both time-frames and the mailbox flag that signaled a change in the vortex of time without human intervention, as just two examples).
But, putting the distractingly preoccupying inner thought processes aside that either the script or the editing ensured, I truly enjoyed Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves together again (“Speed”) and hope they find a less frustrating cinematic vehicle to share at least one more time.
On the R&R Scale (1-10):
4 for Script: To inconsistent and preposterous.
4 for Direction: Did little to tie up pieces or clarify the unexplained in the script.
8 for Acting: Really liked Bullock and Reeves together and Christopher Plummer was praiseworthy as always.
7 for Plot: An unusual twist on an old notion.
5 for Entertainment Value: Heartfelt frustration.
5.6 Overall
