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Wednesday, November 15, 2006

The Lake House

To be honest, I am not a huge fan of romantic movies. First on my want-to-see list always will come stories about the western experience, then those with a spiritual aspect, stories about people growing in life, adventures with humor, good historic movies, but once in awhile a romance comes along that tempts me to give it a try.

It is not that I have seen no romances; but when I do, most of the time it will have been years after they came out. It will be when they are nearly off the oldies channels on cable tv-- an example being Bridges of Madison County, which I totally loved once I had seen it-- a good 9 years after it had been released in theaters.

My reasons for not watching romances comes down to not liking to cry my way through a film. Also how realistic are they ever to life? Actually they aren't supposed to be realistic. They are supposed to stroke our heart strings. Some are not tragic, but the potential that they will be (except for the comedy romances) is almost always part of the appeal.

So a month ago, when it first came out on DVD, I actually bought The Lake House. The reason was the metaphysical aspect of time element. How can people be living in two different times (2004 and 2006) and come together through letters in a mailbox? Well as best we know it, they can't. Except metaphysically there are those who believe all time is simultaneous and that the idea of a yesterday or tomorrow is just for bookkeeping purposes.

Usually if you get a time travel romance, which The Lake House is not, it has quite a span between the two eras and one of the characters gives up their own time to join with the other one-- or, as in paranormal stories such as The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, waits until the other dies.

The Lake House is about soul mate love through difficult circumstances, holding out for what is important, about family relationships, about questioning what is possible. With Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves as the would-be lovers (if they can find a way to touch other than through words), the lead characters are engaging and make you care. You want them to find a way past the problem of one living two years ahead of the other-- albeit in the same area. The potential for tragedy is always there. The story unfolds slowly, with a kind of grace, and yet has enough elements to consider that it keeps you from taking it for granted or becoming bored.

Does what happens make factual sense as we know it? Answer first-- is a good romance supposed to be about making sense? Will it make you cry? Well, it did me.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like to watch a good, romantic movie once in awhile. It's as close as some of us get to the real thing ! :)

Mary Lou said...

Oh GOOD!!! I need a sappy cry...and it is on my DIsh network PPV right now!

Ingineer66 said...

I watched this movie the other day. It was definately different, but entertaining. A good chic flick.

Anonymous said...

I'll rent this one, thanks to your review. I'm not a big romance watcher--or reader--either. Too cynical, I'm afraid.

Dick said...

I don't watch many romance movies but did see & enjoy the Bridges of Madison County. Maybe I'll watch a few more now that I have someone to cuddle with while the movie plays.

Anonymous said...

nice thanks for your movie review dfinitly i will watch this movie ASAP. thanks..
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Anonymous said...

Maybe you missed a calling as a movie reviewer. But, no, they always pan the good movies and have nothing good to say.

Does not sound like a movie I would go out of my way to watch, but will watch with Roomie when the time comes, mainly because of Sandra Bullock, who I like a lot as an actress. Roomie's middle name is "Lifetime".

Sandy said...

My daughter and I saw it in the theater when it came out. We don't often go to see "chick flicks" or as others call them "pink" movies..ones for the gals,but we both enjoyed it. The story being believable if you let your mind go with it. It was different but Sandra and Keanu did a great job hence, waterworks happened for me *laugh* but not for my daughter....give her a bit of time she is just turning 18 ;)

Joy Des Jardins said...

I love a good romantic movie...and I don't mind crying my eyes out...therapy and entertainment all at one time. Sometime sappy is good. I guess it all depends on one's mood. I have this movie in my queue to watch. I probably wouldn't have gone to the theatre to see this, but I'll probably enjoy it in the quiet of my bedroom.

Anonymous said...

I think along the same lines as you do about romantic movies. As for crying, my stiff upper lip Minnesota background triumphs over my emotions.

I will rent The Lake House because I am curious about the metaphysical aspect and what the heck, a good cry over romantic love might not hurt either.

Glad to see you back blogging!

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

You have sparked my curiosity about the split time occurance or whatever.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I very much liked this film though it was almost too much for my "suspension of disbelief" gene to handle....But, as you said, it had so many things going for it, it won me over....I had rented it from Netflix and if I was disappointed in anything it was the lack of "extras" that I truly enjoy and have come to expect....in this case it wasn't so much about delated scenes or 'bloopers', but It would have been great to have seen a mini documentary with the people involved in the making of this film...
There is a film called "Possession"...at least I think that is the name of it...Gwynyth Paltrow, Aaron Eckert and Jeremy Northam....A really lovely poetic and rather literary romance film that takes place in two time frames but the people in each time period don't meet---but there is a relationship that unfolds during the film that is almost like a mystery to be solved...yet it is a 'romanatic-romance'film...I think you might like it very much...! (I'll check and make sure that THAT is the right name and if it isn't, I'll let you know.)

I happen to love films that touch my heart and my emotions...and I love a good cry! (lol) But weather the water-works starts in a film is so individual and personal...and sometimes the dumbest films can bring me totears because there is something in the film that touches me in a very personal way...to be honest, I don't remember what happebed to me during "Possession" But I do remember I liked the film very very much and would watch it again in a heartbeat.

Anonymous said...

I just saw this entry of yours and had to comment, because I watched this movie about 2 weeks ago from Netflix.
I certainly am into time travel, allowing my disbelief to be put on hold for a good story, am definitely into the mystical, etc. but I totally did NOT get this movie. I mean, I did understand it....but, I guess I thought somehow they'd end up together at the end and when it ended, I felt thoroughly confused. I'm sure I "missed" something and I found that to be annoying. Other than all that...lol....I did love the movie and the actors, but just didn't "get" it.

Rain Trueax said...

hi terri and welcome to my blog. Thanks for your comments. On the movie, there were some holes that you had to overlook in this film. I had a feeling I understood why the ending was as it was, but hate to write about it for fear of ruining it for osmeone else. Tell you what, anybody who hasn't seen it yet, quit reading here. Second paragraph is spoiler.

I think they had to wait until she would have known him for them to meet and it to work. So as soon as it got to where she had already been writing to him-- 2 years before, that's when he would walk up and she'd know who he was. It still has holes as what happens to the woman she is in the future? It reminds me of 'Frequency' with how whatever you do changes who you would become. That's a really good movie for anybody whether into fantasy thinking or not as it makes such a point out of the difference our actions make on our future.