If You HAVE To See A Chick Flick: The Lake House
Posted by James R. Huff on 06.22.2006
You’ve got spook-e mail!
This past weekend saw four movies debut for a total of almost $180 million dollars, coming in forth, with a respectable $13.6 mill, was The Lake House. I passed on Cars, Nacho Libre, and The Fast and The Furious: Tokyo Drift… for the sake of this column.
You're welcome.
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves star in a story about a long distance love affair that spans years not miles. The movie asks, "What if you found the one you were meant for... but you lived 2 years apart?"
And I thought across town was a handful.
The Lake House opens with Kate Forster (Bullock) moving out of the unique stilted lake house. Her last task is leaving a note in the mailbox telling the next tenant to enjoy the house and asking them to forward any mail to her new address in Chicago. Elsewhere frustrated architect Alex Wyler (Reeves) fills the suburbs with condo after condo. Feeling the need for seclusion and in an attempt to reconnect with his estranged father Alex moves in, however the house now appears as though it had sat neglected for many years.
Alex soon discovers the letter but finds it difficult to believe based on the condition of the house. He writes a reply to the letter, places it in the mailbox, and begins fixing up the house. A stray dog befriends him and keeps him company in his solitude. Much of the brief letter makes no sense especially the reference of paw prints on the walkway, until his new roommate trots through a paint pan and subsequently leaves a trail of paw prints much like he imagined when reading Kate's note.
A stressful day sends Kate on a long, reflective drive. She finds herself back at the lake house. Fond memories ease her soul. She soon recalls the note she left behind. Out of curiosity she opens the mailbox to find her note still there, only to discover a reply written on it. Thus begins this long distance writing campaign.
It takes Alex and Kate some time to realize what is happening. They both deny it but slowly grow to embrace, even depend on it. Through their letters and shared experiences they begin to fall in love. By this point your significant other will be hooked.
The mysterious circumstances surrounding Jack the dog is further unexplainable when you realize she belongs to both Alex and Kate. She bridges the distance between the two when she unexpectedly runs off one day. Alex gives chase until he finds her at the feet of Kate's then boyfriend Morgan. The awkward introduction leads to an invitation to Kate's surprise birthday party. Unable to pass up the opportunity to meet the woman his heart belongs to, Alex accepts. During a quiet moment of escape from the party, Alex and Kate meet. The two strike up a conversation that leads to a romantic dance under that stars.
My biggest problem with the continuity of The Lake House was the dance they shared. They danced (in 2004) to "This Never Happened Before" by Paul McCartney off of his album "Chaos And Creation In The Backyard" which came out in 2005! Oops!
I won't go spoil anymore of the plot to the Lake House but I will tell you that Alex and Kate's lives are interwoven more than you realize while watching the movie. My advice is to sit back and enjoy, just keep an eye out while doing so as The Lake House has more turns than the bus Reeves and Bullock drove in Speed.
I will use this opportunity to "mark-out". In the scene where Jack the dog leads Alex to Kate's boyfriend, Morgan is shown carrying a case of Kenwood's Jack London wine. Although I personally prefer their Pinot Noir, I would recommend any of their wines. Kenwood Wines
Tale of the Tape:
Running time: 105 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some language and a disturbing image (whatever it was).
Nudity: None.
Notable Quotables:
Kate Forster, "It's kind of a long distance relationship."
Henry Wyler, "Do you have a girlfriend?"
Alex Wyler, "Uh, You're gonna think I'm crazy."
Alex to Kate, "Close your eyes... you're safe. You can relax. I'm not going to kiss you. He's gonna be so sorry he lost you, so stop worrying. Forget the past. Forget the pain. And remember what an incredible woman you are. You do that and he'll realize what he lost."
Danger Moment(s): Rolling your eyes when your significant other suggests this movie. Or at any time when you find the storyline too unbelievable, because she will point out the improbable plots of Spiderman, X-Men, and Lord of the Rings.
If you can get past the premise of two people living two years apart I recommend you take your significant other to see The Lake House.
In closing I have a question. Why is it that women can totally buy into a premise like this but if they ask us "Does this make me look fat?" and we answer "No." they can't believe that???
