The Lake House (2006) Reviews

• Good chemistry equals good romantic fantasy

  dan_delago2006-06-16

  Suspension of disbelief is a wonderful phenomenon. It's used in many genres effectively and why not in romantic film? Although the Lakehouse mailbox took on some magical qualities, the plot still worked for me on a deeper level. It's about connecting with your true soulmate when you feel isolated. Who hasn't felt alone at a crowded party? Or who hasn't feared if they wait too long that they may never find that special someone? It's a part of the human condition this film examines. I mean, look at the architecture of the Lake House itself. It's isolated yet beautiful in a Frank Lloyd Wright kind of way. This is a character-driven story. It was fueled by the solid performances of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. They are so natural and comfortable together on screen. It's more than just physical attraction between two people and that's why the love story works. It's real chemistry between them. I believed these two could be walking along Lakeshore Drive holding hands together. I was rooting for these two characters to get together. They are likable. They have angst in their lives. They show vulnerability. Real human feelings. They are successful in their careers but there is still that void. In my opinion, they are the right fit for each other. It's the underlying themes of this movie that give it substance not the fact that some of the plot is a bit far-fetched. Love is illogical in many ways but when you find that certain someone, it's magical. David Auburn's screenplay is first-rate. It creates the right mood. It has emotion in each scene. He makes the story palpable. This kept me interested. I wanted to know what was going to happen next. What more can you ask for in a touching love story? I enjoyed it.

• Not without its shortcomings, but interesting all the same

  TheMovieMark2006-06-16

  "I don't get it," said one confused old man as he filed out of the theater. Listen up, folks; this movie is not that hard to understand. Take the time to wrap your brain around it and you shouldn't have a problem following along. However, after listening to people talk after the movie I realize that some of you may walk away a little confused. So let me hold your hand and reveal a few facts that you should grasp before seeing this: A) Sandra is corresponding from 2006, B) Keanu is corresponding from 2004, and C) These time periods aren't mutually exclusive. Sandra's character still exists in the 2004 time period that Keanu is communicating from and vice versa. Got that? Good. Sandra can tell Keanu where she was in 2004, and Keanu can cross her path, but the 2004 version of Sandra will have no clue who Keanu is. Makes sense, right? So the trick is that the 2006 version of Sandra has to figure out where the 2006 version of Keanu is so that they can meet in Keanu's future (AKA Sandra's present). Everything unfolds from there. Seriously, it's not that complicated. I think most of the confusion exists because the script isn't as tight as it needs to be. It's frustrating because the story could have been much better (and a few plot holes could have been easily eliminated) with a couple of more rewrites. The most frustrating thing to me, and I reveal this because it's best you know it upfront, is that we're never told what exactly is causing the time rift between them. We're expected to just accept it as fantasy and not demand any explanations. You'll enjoy the film much more if you understand that not all loose ends will be tied and you can ignore the plot holes I alluded to. I'd love to discuss them and explain my specific issues with them, but doing so would reveal way too much of the story. Email me after you see it and we'll discuss. Throwing those quibbles aside, I actually enjoyed this quite a bit. Perhaps I'm a sucker for romance movies that aren't scared to throw a little of Nick Drake's Pink Moon down on us, but I like that this is a romance that plays it a bit unconventionally. Is it for everybody? No. There's a lot of talking (though it never gets as gay and flowery as I feared), and some of you might find the pace slow. Though I felt it more deliberate. I also applaud the performances of Sandra and Keanu, who is nowhere near as robotic as you may expect. I actually bought into his emoting! Good job, Mr. Cool Breeze, but you really need to work on making your sneezes more believable. Fans of romance movies will adore the theme of love and how its power can change someone's life, but since I'm into more masculine topics, I preferred watching the pieces of the time puzzle fall into place. It reminded me a little bit of Frequency - Keanu does something in 2004 and then Sandra recognizes its impact in 2006. Then we follow along as they try to figure out how to meet. I wanted one of them to leave their hand in the mailbox and see if the other could see it when they went to retrieve the next letter. Perhaps a disembodied hand wiggling around in a mailbox wouldn't have fit with the mood that the writers were going for, but I would've laughed. Speaking of mood, I thought this was another strongpoint of the movie. The cinematography is great, creating a cold, atmospheric setting. Chicago's impressive architecture is used to great effect. If you like stunning visuals to set your romantic mood then you won't be disappointed. As long as you're willing to give this film your undivided attention for approximately 100 minutes (and you can easily forgive its shortcomings) then The Lake House will prove to be an intriguing piece of film for lovers of the romance genre. And hey, even if romances aren't your thing, there might just be enough mystery here to keep your interest. After the movie, my friend commented, "As far as romances go, this is probably the best I've seen." And he hated The Notebook, ladies. THE GIST The Lake House suffers from lapses in logic, unnecessary plot holes, and predictability, but I appreciated its attempt to add something fresh to the romance genre. The intriguing mystery and the performances of Sandra and Keanu are effective enough for me to grant my approval to those of you who already have an interest in this one.

• loved it

  scully2132006-06-13

  I saw a screening of this last night and maybe I was just in the right mood for it, but I really enjoyed it. I'm not even a chick-flick kind of girl! It's best if you don't over-analyze the time-travel details and just go with it... it's a movie, after all. Seriously, I wasn't expecting that much and I got a better feeling from this movie than I have in a long time - it made me feel warm and happy. Plus, the whole theater laughed at some parts, plus people gasped and cried, and at the end everyone applauded. That's a good sign, if you ask me. I don't watch previews so I don't know what they give away about the plot, so I'm not going to give much of anything away here. I will just say that to me this was a uniquely told romantic story. I happen to like Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock, although they are by no means favorites of mine, nor do I consider them to be consistently amazing actors (more often they're not... at least he's not...). But they made this story work for me and I believe they have good chemistry. The movie is set in Chicago and shows the city off nicely without trying to beat you over the head with it (a la The Break-Up). One thing I think I related to a lot with these characters is that they are both pretty isolated and lonely, although not in a sad-sack way. I felt a longing from them for someone to relate to, and even though they have opportunities for other people to be involved in their lives... well it's not what's best for them and they don't settle. Plus, the actors are both in their 40s and I like seeing love stories that aren't about either two 22-year-olds or a 40-year-old man and a 22-year-old girl.

• Even though this is clearly impossible, it's amazing.

  Texas962006-06-13

  I saw this film on June 12th, 2006 at a preview showing in my home town of Austin, Texas. Admittedly, when I first viewed the trailer it appeared to be nothing more than a cheap romantic flick with a hunk (Keanu Reeves) and a pretty girl (Sandra Bullock). After watching this film, I realized first impressions can sometimes be wrong. The plot may be a bit out of the ordinary. But if you suspend logic for an hour or two and believe in the magic of the story, it will draw you into a deeply passionate story. There are some twists that may or may not surprise (especially if you're as quick as my wife). Although Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock have had some iffy acting performances in the past, both put in excellent performances that made their characters come alive. Each characters has a very earthy feel that makes them seem real and relatable. Overall, I have to say this is a beautiful movie, from the story to the acting to the beautiful cinematography.

• An Unexpectedly Haunting & Beautiful Film . . .

  sshogben2006-06-21

  There IS a quality to "The Lake House" that lingers in the mind days afterward. For a film in which the element of Time is uniquely important, "The Lake House" manages to convey an odd sense of universal timelessness. It is as though the specific When is less relevant than the universality of human thought, feeling, and decision. An almost mystical quality. "The Lake House" is that rare film which not only invites but welcomes a repeat viewing. The first time simply follow What happens in the story. See the film again to more fully enjoy How this story elegantly unfolds. This is NOT a time travel film. Repeat, NOT. Each character in this film experiences only his or her own natural time moving forward in the usual linear chronological way. What changes is each character's perspective on what they are experiencing over time, and how each's perception of their Past informs Present decisions which impact Future events. If I had to pick one theme to describe this picture: at the time they occur, we may not even recognize the most important encounters or events in our lives. Alex (Keanu Reeves) and Kate (Sandra Bullock) are two seemingly unconnected persons who have lived in the lake house of the title – exactly two years apart. Through seeming accident they find that they can communicate with each other directly, in immediate personally experienced time, through the mysterious mailbox at the lake house. We then follow the often startling events each experiences – and writes about to the other – over the next two years of their lives, Alex from February of 2004 to 2006, Kate from February 2006 to 2008. The result is . . . an extraordinary film that both satisfies the intellect and engages on a surprisingly emotional level. Their roles here are a significant departure from usual for both Reeves and Bullock, but not to worry. Individually, this is either's best work anywhere. Collectively, their chemistry is exceptional. Subplots in the story are developed through some superb supporting performances, most notably the two parents. Christopher Plummer is achingly brilliant as Alex' demanding genius architect father, and Dutch actress Willeke van Ammelrooy positively oozes wit and warmth as Kate's mother. The lake house itself . . . physically brings out so much emotional subtext in this film that it ought to be credited as a separate character. (If no artist/architect has actually built this house, they should!) Altogether, "The Lake House" is one of most rewarding films of any type I have seen in many years. HIGHLY recommended.