BIASES: mid 20s black male; frustrated screenwriter who favors action, comedy, and glossy, big budget movies over indie flicks, kiddie flicks, and weepy Merchant Ivory fare

Missed a review? Support those that support THE REEL DEAL - check out all reviews at HBCUnetwork.com!

Serendipity

MOVIE BIASES: Love Cusack and a GOOD movie romance.

MAJOR PLAYERS: John Cusack (America's Sweethearts), Kate Beckinsale (Pearl Harbor), Jeremy Piven (Very Bad Things), and director Peter Chelsom (Town & Country).

What is serendipity? As defined in this movie, serendipity is "a fortunate accident." The same can be applied tothis movie, one that should have been mediocre by all accounts in treading into one of the trickiest genres to market to our increasingly jaded, cynical audiences, the romantic comedy. The result is downright serendipitous.

After a meet cute over a pair of Bloomingdale's gloves, Jonathan (Cusack) shares a wonderfully romantic night getting to know the perfectly charming stranger Sara (Beckinsale). Overly superstitious, Sara decides to leave their evening up to chance: she writes her name and phone number in a used book that she gives to a used book dealer while she has him write his name down on a five dollar bill that she promptly spends. If they were meant to be, then that book or five dollar bill will come back to them and they will find each other. Years later and on the verge of getting married, Jonathan is inexplicably stalked by the thought (and name) of Sara. He goes on a wild goose chase to track her down, just three days before his wedding. Meanwhile, Sara is now a San Francisco psychologist in training, plus newly engaged to a self-absorbed New Age musician named Lars (John Corbett). As all the signs point toward each other, Jonathan and Sara try to separate substance from superstition while they ride the tide of fate, individually seeking the other out before it's too late.

This movie has GREAT production values. Bathed in an autumnal, auburn glow and terrific shades of winter, New York City has never looked better, thanks to gorgeous cinematography provided by John de Borman. The jazzy soundtrack and musical score (Alan Silvestri) are excellent, evoking a timeless, classic-type feel in the tradition of "When Harry Met Sally." Peter Chelsom's romantic, capable direction will make everyone forget about the box office disaster "Town & Country."

But the heart of this movie may lie in the acting as much as in the production. Eugene Levy is outrageous as a prickly, nosy salesman who aids Jonathan on his search. Jeremy Piven is, again, uniformly outstanding. As Dean, Jonathan's hetero lifemate, Piven's comic timing and ability to reduce dialogue to words that just happen to come from real people to other real people onscreen is invaluable, if not inspiring. With a friend like Piven's Dean egging you on, you can see why Jonathan keeps up his hopeless quest. Beckinsale is charming, quirky, lovely, and British - most certainly worth Jonathan's hellbent search. But like many of the actresses in this movie, the winsome yet telegenic Beckinsale appears a little TOO thin, even by Hollywood standards. Come here, honey; lemme give you a biscuit! Cusack, of course, is classic - snarky, charming, sarcastic, intelligent, and romantically heroic all at the same time. Cusack's greatest asset is that he doesn't ever look or act like a movie star yet there aren't many movie stars out there who can hold a candle to him actingwise. When he compares his current fiancée to "The Godfather Part 2," few actors can pull it off as attractively as he does.

This is a movie that dares to romance romance itself. This movie is about passion, conviction, and going for the one you love, not just the one you're with. It's pure fantasy, a tonic for a cynical world, a total escape from reality - and I don't mind. I've been told that in reality, love is "hard, messy, and a constant struggle." That may be true, but I don't want my nine dollars to pay for a reflection of my own, bleak life. In hardened times like these, where "reality" feels a little too real, we could all use a bit more fairy tale romance in our lives. "Serendipity" may be a trifle, but most certainly a trifle worth watching.

@@ REELS
(TWO REEL)
Extra Medium

Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out
his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at
ReelReviewz@aol.com!

© 2001, THE REEL DEAL