The Lake House
Two years. That's the period of time separating would-be loves Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock) and Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves) in "The Lake House."Coincidentally, two years is also how long this film seems to last.
"The Lake House" is a romantic fantasy/drama, an Americanized remake of the 2000 South Korean film "Il Mare." But it's also slow-moving and horribly contrived, and worse, makes the mistake of being too earnest and serious. What few humorous moments there are come as welcome relief.
As played by Bullock, Kate is an unhappy single Chicago doctor who's left a letter behind for the next occupant of the spacious glass house — overlooking a lake — that she has just vacated.
Somehow her letter winds up in the same mailbox two years earlier, a period of time when architect Alex was living there. Obviously, he reads it and notices the apparent time discrepancy.
But after some initial and justifiable skepticism on the part on both, these two begin a written correspondence through time. And as their feelings toward each other grow, they try to find ways to meet up in the future.
With the film's slick, music-video style, it appears that Argentine director Alejandro Agresti (2002's "Valentin") is more interested in the visuals than in trying to tell a good story. Of course, he's working with a script, courtesy of Tony Award-winning playwright David Auburn ("Proof"), that doesn't exactly qualify as a satisfying, coherent story.
The movie also features Reeves at his most mumbly and monotone (apparently he's trying to be "sincere" and "somber"). But Bullock whispers most of her dialogue as well, as if she's afraid to speak it aloud and accidentally laugh.
Not to spoil anything, but frankly, the two leads have more chemistry in the scenes where their characters are apart than they do when they're together.
"The Lake House" is rated PG for occasional profanity (some religiously based) and a brief scene of violence (an automobile accident). Running time: 105 minutes.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com