Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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315 of 337 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Can the Future Change the Past?, June 18, 2006
If you enjoy love stories, then you should delight as much in this modern day fairy tale as my wife and I did. Sandra Bullock (one of my favorite actresses) as Dr. Kate Forster and Keanu Reeves as Alex Wyler complement each other extremely well and manage to develop a tangible chemistry despite the unique nature of their "long distance" (in time) relationship. However, you have to be prepared to suspend your usual conception of the relationship of time and place and accept unconditionally the truly unusual and scientifically fictional aspects of the storyline. This film is about emotions, interpersonal relationships and personal discovery, and needs to be engaged with your heart, not your mind.
CAUTION: it was obvious from the comments of other moviegoers who watched the film with us that our enthusiasm was not universally shared. Perhaps understandably given several of Sandra's Bullock's previous films, some people obviously expected to see a typical romantic comedy, which this most definitely is not despite some truly funny sequences. Others seemed to be unable to let go of their attempt to rationally analyze the techniques which the story utilized to further the relationship between Kate and Alex; this trait led to their inability simply to accept the facts as the writer and producer chose to present them in furtherance of the story and thus distracted from the essence of the film, which is the development of the central characters' relationship and the mystery of how the story will conclude. And finally, a few seemed bewildered that anyone would find such a ridiculous story appealing and frustrated that they had wasted almost two hours of their time watching it.
As the film begins, Kate and her female dog Jack are ending their tenancy at an architecturally unique LAKE HOUSE and moving into a modern new apartment in downtown Chicago near the hospital where she is on staff. She leaves a note in the mailbox for the next tenant, which Alex finds when he moves into the house. Thus, very early in the film, the four main actors in this drama have already been introduced - Kate, Alex, Jack, and THE LAKE HOUSE itself. However, the key plot twist of what briefly appears a rather conventional and undoubtedly otherwise pedestrian romance (which would simply be a showcase for the stars) is introduced. It is a concept familiar to science fiction fans but seldom used in other genres; specifically time shifting together with some aspects of parallel universes. Since what has happened is incidental to the story and never explained, it is not clear at any particular point in the story what rules will apply to the situations in which the characters find themselves. (N.B. This film should definitely not be included in the genre of science fiction, it involves neither time travel or futurism.)
However, when Alex replies to Kate's note and a correspondence ensues, their initial misunderstandings soon turn to disbelief when she claims to be living in 2006 and he is in 2004. What! How could she move out and he then move in? Despite their incredulity, they eventually both become convinced that their lives really have been linked through some sort of time warp. Of course, since this is a love story they then both become increasingly attracted to each other (Remember, you can't expect to understand how the intermediary device of the magic mailbox operates, just enjoy the flag waving which results.) The story is incredibly cleverly constructed, with several threads gradually coming together and increasingly causing their lives to become intertwined. THE LAKE HOUSE, a memorable edifice built on stilts and reached by a walkway over the water is reminiscent of Phillip Johnson's signature Glass House. It not only unites Alex and Kate but plays a crucial role in Alex's family history and his strained relationship with his father, the noted architect Simon Wyler (Christopher Plummer).
The enjoyment of the film is in fact heightened by its leisurely pace, the cast (and the supporting roles are uniformly well acted) has time to develop the story and let us get to know Kate and Alex as they get to know each other; thus we also experience their frustration that thyey may have to accept the fact that they will be resigned to living separate lives. The most difficult aspect of the film for me to follow was the fact that the sequence of the scenes as presented to the moviegoer was not always immediately clear. Not only are Alex and Kate simultaneously living in different years, but their individual experiences are not presented in chronological order. There are frequent flashbacks and the jumps forward to their individual present day selves, interspersed with one chance meeting of which only Alex is aware. Remember, concentrate on their story - not on trying to figure out how it is occurring. One incredibly deft touch is the use of a copy of Jane Austen's PERSUASION as both a very important point of contact in their relationship and also with the story as a metaphor for their situation.
In conclusion, if you enjoy fantasy, then you should enjoy this unconventional love story. In addition, you also get as a bonus to try to figure out how an appealing dog such as Jack could somehow live with both Kate and Alex and maybe you will even receive a few insights about architecture. Just remember to pay attention to details, because at various times during the film events occur whose complete relevance only becomes clear much later. Interestingly enough, if you do pick up these clues, while they foreshadow some of the later events (in the sequence in which the movie unfolds), they in no way make the eventual outcome predictable and thus do not spoil the story. Fun, interesting, well acted, emotionally satisfying and unpredictable enough to keep your interest - certainly a more attractive set of attributes than most of today's film fare.
Tucker Andersen
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161 of 176 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
When Love is Real, Nothing Else Matters, June 17, 2006
"The Lake House" is a rare gem, the kind of film that Hollywood hasn't made for decades, and has more in common with the b&w classics and some foreign films (like the Korean "Il Mare" this one was based on) than any contemporary "date film." It is the well written script, and the mature and sensitive performances by its 2 leads that set it apart, as well as the many memorable, magical moments: The tree, the dance, the spray-painted inscription on the wall, to name a few. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are superb as Alex and Kate, who try to conquer time and space with their love.
I have no problem with time warps, other dimensions, the presence of angels, and that the world just might be a cosmic soup of whirling particles. Seeing is not believing, because we see through a glass darkly, and anything might be possible, even the premise of this plot, implausible as it might be. Director Alejandro Agresti deftly manages to make the complexities of the story flow, and the supporting cast is excellent, including Christopher Plummer (as Alex's famed architect father), Ebon Moss-Bacharach (Alex's brother), Willele von Ammelrooy (Kate's mother) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (Kate's workplace friend). And then there is Jack, a lovable mutt that is shared between time spaces.
I cannot think of a living actor that has had a more diverse filmography than Keanu Reeves, and "The Lake House" is by far his finest performance, in its depth, and naturalness. This is a man who looks so comfortable in his skin, in being who he is, that he adds a dimension of reality to the character of Alex. Sandra Bullock is also excellent as Kate, and both actors exude super star wattage power, and have marvelous screen chemistry with each other.
Watch this film with an open mind and a soft heart, and it will delight you. I wept through much of it, enjoyed every minute, and it is a film I will never tire of seeing.
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61 of 68 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reunited and It Feels So Good - 2 years too late for 2 people who found the one, May 18, 2006
A dozen years after "Speed" ... Reeves and Bullock reunite as two destined single professionals who meet through a lake house they both lived at. Turns out both are living in the same place but two years apart and exchange letters through a magical mailbox. An American adaptation of the South Korean film "Ill Mare" from 1999, the Lake House follows the mysterious events that bring a lonely female doctor (Kate) in Chicago with a frustrated architect (Alex)in the country.
THEME: NEVER SETTLE! Only marry your true love because time is irrelevant when your twin soul is out there and you know it! The truth is ... you can physically leave your twin soul ... but they will always be a part of you.
The story begins when Kate leaves a letter in the mailbox for the new tenant to her former lake house home before departing for Chicago. When she receives a reply from Alex he claims that no one has lived in the Lake House for years. The two begin corresponding only to discover that they are living two years apart, Alex in 2004 and Kate in 2006. The movie progresses and the two eventually decide to meet but its two weeks for Kate and two years for Alex. It's a heartbreaker because if time is not on your side it is not on your side.
A series of coincidences bring keep bringing Kate and Alex together. The trick is that Kate wasn't always so open and had many missed moments with Alex. Over time they begin to share more about one another and decide to meet. Alex fails to show up at Ill Mare in Chicago and Kate forbids him to write to her again. That is until she almost marries her nice but not well suited match Morgan... and rushes to save her romance with Alex. The signs were all there... they even shared the same dog two years apart! Near misses, close encounters, and signposts to one another ... in the end it's worth the wait! It's a very Happy Valentine's Day. Unless you know that you could give your whole heart to that person despite another more suitable man or woman nearby ... don't sell out! Stay available for the one who truly makes you happy.
One to watch ... and best with the "two of you" for all the couples who are together and happy and need a reminder of what they have.
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