Movie Review: THE LAKE HOUSE Author: Jenn Bobbitt Wednesday, June 14, 2006 U.S. Release Date: June 16, 2006 Distributor: Warner Bros. Director: Alejandro Agresti Writing Credits: David Auburn Cast: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dylan Walsh, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer Genre: Drama MPAA Rating: PG OFFICIAL WEBSITE: www.thelakehousemovie.com TRAILERS: www.apple.com./trailers Copyright © 2006 Jenn Bobbitt and ON-FILM.NET. All rights reserved. I had the privilege of seeing THE LAKE HOUSE during a local prescreening sponsored by an easy listening station. Before I had witnessed even a scene, I knew who this one was marketed for just by glancing around the theatre: middle aged women, generically dressed and still sporting the same haircut they got before starting their professional careers twenty years earlier. Fear gripped me as I realized I was probably in for a stereotypical “chick flick;" I don’t DO chick flicks by choice, I’m just not that kind of girl! Just a quick overview for those of you that may not know: Kate Forester (Sandra Bullock), a lonely doctor, falls in love with an aspiring architect, Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves) through the exchange of a series of letters in which they realize that they are living in the same lake house two years apart AT THE SAME TIME. As I write this, I realize that the plotline reads like a really lame sci-fi story, but I have to hand it to director Alejandro Agresti on this one; even without an explanation of how it is possible for the two main characters to live in the same moment separated by two years’ time, the concept seems believable and effortless. The characterization in this film was superb; the viewer experiences both warmth and distance from Alex and Kate through their personal growth and exchange of letters. The beautiful scenery, diligent change of setting, and inventive camera angles and effects greatly enhance this film, which could have proven to be a directional nightmare given that 70% of it is focused around the content of a mailbox. As it would seem, all in all this was a great movie. Here is my problem: I don’t like movies marketed to women because I don’t feel Hollywood (even modern day Hollywood) gives us enough credit. It isn’t necessary for me to see a movie where the main characters are attractive, the hero is unnaturally romantic, and everything ends happily for me to think it was a “good movie.” I just want a truly good movie, and if that means that the main character is hideous, the hero is ambivalent, and everyone dies in the end…then go ahead and kill ‘em all; so long as you are following the momentum developed by the plot structure. The ending of The Lake Hose left much to be desired in my eyes. I won’t give it away, but when you see it, let me know if you agree: Alex shouldn’t have gotten the last letter from Kate; the plot just wasn’t set up for a happy ending. It cheapened the rest of what could have been a truly great film. JENN’S GRADE: B Jenn Bobbitt is a reviewer and writer for ON-FILM.NET. SEND JENN FEEBACK!