Starring: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, and more ...
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Genre: Romance
based on lee hyeon-seung's 2000 korean romancer
Il Mare, lake house represents one of the first hollywood remakes of a recent east asian film that does not belong to the horror genre. if i have to write a review based on my reality world, this movie is one of the more befuddling movies of recent years. the premise makes no sense, no matter how you turn it around in your head. it attempts to be a romance, a time-travelling mystery and a meditation on loneliness. it doesn't succeed at any of the three.
but then i have to put myself a different way to appreciate this movie. this is, in fact, a romantic fantasy. you are bound to bring your fantasy and take it as is. i cannot take it as seriously as any real drama would be... so i don't mind to actually see the most-bizarre-time-travelling-romance as long it gives that lovey dovey feeling. yes, it's weird. yes.. it doesn't make any sense at all. but i love seeing the beautiful actors in it... :)
the movie re-teams
Speed's keanu reeves and sandra bullock. and they do have chemistry, even in the rare moments they are together. bullock plays a doctor with no time for a love life, reeves plays a gifted architect. the two fall in love through series of exchanging mails through the mailbox in the lake house, the house they have both live in, only in different timing. through these mails, they found out that were living in different times, 2 years apart. so, how they finally end up together? well... you just have to watch it to find out.. i won't spoil the story here.
although it makes no sense why these two well-educated professionals, their friends and family would simply accept that they have managed to defy time and logic. this melodramatic romance moves at a glacial pace and it also takes itself too seriously. but i like it. i had fun watching it. it gives a good feeling at the end... only to know that it's too hollywood stereotypical.
the original movie, as many other asian movies, has a sad ending. but of course, it's a hollywood remake. why would leave a sad end to the audience? so they had to twist it and make it a happy one. although i kinda disappointed that hollywood would still follow its traditional stereotype ending plot, i cannot say that i didn't like the happy ending... as i said.. it gives a good, comforting feeling when you walk out the movie theater. as you would realize that this is just a made-believe and would never happen.. so why take it seriously?
ps:
i love the soundtrack in this movie. i found my friends and myself singing along during the movie. this was, of course, a good plus. 
