Customer Reviews:
Watch this *before* The Notebook.......2008-02-05
If you don't waste energy on timeline pedantry, The Lakehouse is a wonderful film. It's gentle and heart-warming and completely lovely... but I watched it expecting it to have the same emotional impact as The Notebook and it was miles off. It's horribly unfair to compare movies in this way, but it's hard not to in this case because the similarities are unavoidable.
Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves are marvellous leads, and you find yourself genuinely invested in their getting together; the acting throughout is great, and the cinematography is often beautiful. Some of the shots of Chicago are breath-taking, and the actual lakehouse surrounded by Autumn leaves is gorgeous. Really, I have no complaints *whatsoever* - I just wish I'd watched it prior to seeing The Notebook as my expectations wouldn't have been so high.
The only way to describe the difference is like this: If The Notebook is a piece of chocolate, The Lakehouse is a piece of diet chocolate. It's still really nice, and if you hadn't tasted the other one, you'd love it, but because you know how good it *can* be, it's left you feeling slightly unsatisfied. None of this may be very fair to The Lakehouse. 3 months ago, I would have given this delightful film 5 stars, but when it's next to its superior alternative, it just doesn't quite cut it.
That being said, it really is an enjoyable film - it's for anyone who's a romantic at heart. Snuggle on your sofa on a Sunday afternoon with a crochet blanket, a cup of tea and some chocolates (not diet), and you'll have a wonderful time.
Quirky and gentle.......2008-01-17
An odd little film I thought, but very gentle and moving; well worth the watch. I like most of the stuff that Sandra Bullock has starred in, and this is one of her best. We found the time thing quite difficult to get a handle on, and in the end you just have to suspend belief and go with the flow of the film. A lovely Sunday afternoon film, if you know what I mean.
Fab.......2007-10-29
I love this film for it's complexity and also it's simplicity. I recomend it for lots of reasons including the music, scenery, stars and storyline.
10 out 0f 10 for Sandra and Keanoo is also good.
Just chill out and enjoy.......2007-10-20
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Once you crack the 'time difference' thing it is the kind of film for a lazy winter afternoon with a blanket on the sofa and the fire on. I agree it is a chick flick but not a really soppy one. Recommended.
When Love is Real, Nothing Else Matters.......2007-09-20
"The Lake House" is a rare gem, the kind of film that Hollywood hasn't made for decades, and has more in common with the b&w classics and some foreign films (like the Korean "Il Mare" this one was based on) than any contemporary "date film." It is the well written script, and the mature and sensitive performances by its 2 leads that set it apart, as well as the many memorable, magical moments: The tree, the dance, the spray-painted inscription on the wall, to name a few. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are superb as Alex and Kate, who try to conquer time and space with their love.
I have no problem with time warps, other dimensions, the presence of angels, and that the world just might be a cosmic soup of whirling particles. Seeing is not believing, because we see through a glass darkly, and anything might be possible, even the premise of this plot, implausible as it might be. Director Alejandro Agresti deftly manages to make the complexities of the story flow, and the supporting cast is excellent, including Christopher Plummer (as Alex's famed architect father), Ebon Moss-Bacharach (Alex's brother), Willele von Ammelrooy (Kate's mother) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (Kate's workplace friend). And then there is Jack, a lovable mutt that is shared between time spaces.
I cannot think of a living actor that has had a more diverse filmography than Keanu Reeves, and "The Lake House" is by far his finest performance, in its depth, and naturalness. This is a man who looks so comfortable in his skin, in being who he is, that he adds a dimension of reality to the character of Alex. Sandra Bullock is also excellent as Kate, and both actors exude super star wattage power, and have marvelous screen chemistry with each other.
Watch this film with an open mind and a soft heart, and it will delight you. I wept through much of it, enjoyed every minute, and it is a film I will never tire of seeing.
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UK DVD List
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