Entre deux rives

A glass house built on stilts over a lake near Chicago helps bring together a condo-developer and a kissless female doctor who has just begun practicing at her first big-city hospital. The trouble between them is, he's writing to her from 2004 and she's in present day 2006, and their link is a mailbox with a sense of time all its own. Superfluous-seeming romantic drama with an initially-perplexing story conceit actually works better than you might think (thanks to some sharp writing and handling, and nicely underplayed lead performances by Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock). Some of the plot elements don't bear close scrutiny (it might drive you mad to examine the details), yet fantasy films are governed by their own set of rules, and this one plays fair within its narrative structure, although it does keep the architect waiting an awfully long time just to get the girl. *** from ****

I was excited by the premise but worried about it being a remake. There are some major plot holes but the movie's just so darn good that you don't mind. This was the most romantic movie I've seen in a long time - and that includes the torture of waiting for these two to meet! I wish that I could tell you more but you've got to see it yourself. Keanu Reeves is terrific, no flash back to "Bill" or "Neo" as you might sometimes see from him in other movies. Just a great performance. I really enjoyed Sandra Bullock and they have great chemistry - they'd have to otherwise the premise wouldn't have worked.

So, turn off your brain, take your main squeeze and prepare to loose yourself in the moment. I know you can do it if you try. Besides, we get real life every day. What's two hours of romantic fantasy going to hurt you?

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.

If I read one more negative review of this movie that takes it to task for being "implausible," I'm afraid I will lose it completely.

I have to ask myself what these same critics (assuming they're old enough to remember it) would have said about virtually any episode of the Rod Serling classic "Twilight Zone." I think it's safe to say most of those plots were based on fairly "implausible" happenings, in comparison to our real-life, day-to-day existence.

And I'm sure Richard Donner's "Superman" movie would have felt their wrath as well, since everyone knows people can't fly.

"Implausible." Good grief.

"The Lake House" is a romantic fairy tale -- and a darned good one, too. It's NOT confusing or hard to understand at all, assuming the viewer has more than two ounces of comprehension skill.

To me, the recent film it seems closest to in subject matter and style is "Frequency," which I also enjoyed tremendously.

And yes -- call me crazy, but the things that happen in "Frequency" are fairly "implausible" too.

And, oh yeah -- since I don't really believe angels have to jump through ridiculous hoops to get their wings, I'm guessing these same Scrooges have no use for "It's a Wonderful Life," either.

Sheesh.

Upon moving out from her beautiful lake house a woman named "Kate Forster" (Sandra Bullock) puts a letter in her mailbox for the person moving in asking that her mail be forwarded to her new address. Much to her surprise she finds that her letter is replied to with a strange response saying that the house she is referring to has been vacant for several years. Needless to say, this perplexes her and so she puts another letter into the mailbox assuring the person that she has lived in that house until recently and that includes the current year of 2006. Not only that but she also repeats the request to forward her mail to an address in nearby Chicago. This now puzzles the new resident, "Alex Wyler" (Keanu Reeves) who is living in the year 2004 and when he checks the address listed by Kate discovers that the apartment building is not due to be completed until 18 months later. So he responds that there must be some mistake only to get a letter back telling him that he should dress warmly because if he is living during the time he claims then there will be a freak snowstorm that night. Sure enough, that night it snows. Not only that, but when he puts a letter in the mailbox for her the next morning he is startled to get a response within minutes. Likewise, she is also shocked when he answers within minutes to her as well. Now rather than reveal any more I will just say that this was an adorable fantasy-romance film which has several interesting twists and turns along the way. Admittedly, there were a couple of subplots which tended to detract from the story a bit but even so I enjoyed this movie for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Above average.