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Well, well, well. What do we have here? Another romantic comedy? Or something more. True it is a romantic comedy, but unlike a lot of other films in this genre, Serendipity actually has a nice story and good actors. Our film begins a decade or so ago in New York at Bloomingdale’s where Jonathan (John Cusack, America's Sweethearts) is looking to buy his girlfriend a pair of black cashmere gloves for Christmas. The problem is, there are none left, until a pair is re-stocked, at which point he grabs them, as does a very attractive Brit. The two hit it off and end up spending most of the evening together around NYC. Again, Jonathan already has a girlfriend, and the Brit has a boyfriend. Eventually it comes time to part, and Jonathan thinks the two should exchange numbers, but the Brit is a big believer in fate, and doesn’t think a romance between them is in the cards. We then learn that her name is Sara (Kate Beckinsale, Pearl Harbor & The Last Days of Disco), and then she comes up with a plan to test fate. He is to put his full name and phone number on a five-dollar bill, and she puts her full name and number in a book that she is reading. So if he ends up with the book or she ends up with the five-dollar bill, then they are meant to be together. If they don’t find them, then fate was against them. We then skip ahead ten years in the story of their lives where Jonathan is getting ready to get married, meantime Sara has moved to San Francisco, with neither one finding the other or their full name and phone number. Jonathan starts getting cold feet about the whole marriage thing when he discovers the Bloomingdale’s bag with his one glove and the receipt as well (apparently he was a dumb ass and never looked for the receipt prior to this, even though he went through an exhaustive search for Sara after they parted). He then tries to track Sara down through her store account while dealing with a rather annoyingly funny clerk (Eugene Levy, Jim’s dad in American Pie 1 & 2). Through a long series of events he ends up nowhere, even after enlisting the help of his friend Dean (Jeremy Piven) who is a writer for the NY Times (in the obits). Meanwhile Sara is also having second thoughts about marrying her new age fiancé Lars (John Corbett), and so she heads to New York with her friend Eve (Molly Shannon, Never Been Kissed). Then fate starts to kick in, and since people like happy endings, you can guess what eventually happens. Marc Klein gets some kudos (whatever those really are) for taking an often tired genre and reinvigorating it with a great story. Peter Chelsom directs this great cast, with Cusack giving a great performance (and this character showed some range since he didn’t have his usual asides with the camera as in High Fidelity and Being John Malkovich). Kate Beckinsale was fine, and I do mean FINE! She reminds me of Nicole Kidman (both have an accent and great looks). But enough about my fantasies. The rest of the cast includes Bridget Moynahan, Amita Balla, Tony Kaan, Helene Cardona, and a few others. All though Serendipity ends at the same spot as most romantic comedies, the route is much more pleasant and original than the others. It’s like a nice drive through the countryside in the fall when all the leaves have changed color, pleasant & enjoyable even though you already know where you are going (and that destination may even be dreaded). Also with the New York aspect, it reminded me a bit of Sleepless in Seattle (though NY wasn’t the only thing in common). And finally as to the rating, I give the film nine couches, with one lost because I don’t think a romantic comedy can get a perfect ten. Later.
Last updated: Saturday, October 28, 2006 05:37:39 PM Click Here to get back into frames.
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