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List Price: $14.99 | | Label: Miramax Home Entertainment
Salesrank: 1502
Released: April 9, 2002 |
| Our Price: $4.94 |
| Used Price: $3.00 |
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MPAA Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
Irresistible stars John Cusack (AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS, HIGH FIDELITY) and Kate Beckinsale (PEARL HARBOR, BROKEDOWN PALACE) are drawn together and take a chance on love in this critically acclaimed romantic comedy! In the course of one magical evening, Jonathan (Cusack) and Sara (Beckinsale) meet unexpectedly ... then part without expectation when she decides they must let fate determine if they are meant to be together. Years later, they are both engaged to others but cannot give up the dream that -- despite time, distance, and the obstacles that conspire to keep them apart -- they will one day meet again. Also starring Jeremy Piven (THE FAMILY MAN, VERY BAD THINGS) and Molly Shannon (SUPERSTAR, NEVER BEEN KISSED) in a stellar supporting cast -- you're destined to agree with audiences everywhere who fell for the surprising charms of this delightful big-screen romance!
Description of Serendipity:
The irresistible casting of John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale highlights this predictable romantic comedy, which combines the romantic yearning of An Affair to Remember and the New York charm of You've Got Mail. It all begins "a few years ago," when New Yorker Jonathan (Cusack) meets Brit beauty Sara (Beckinsale). They share a few perfect hours together before parting ways, leaving future encounters to her quirky obsession with fate. "A few years later," they're about to marry their respective fiancés (reluctantly, of course), and urgently hoping for destiny to bring them back together. Under the casual direction of Peter Chelsom (barely recovering from Town & Country), this starry-eyed romance offers no surprises, but it has a comforting familiarity, made warmer by the easy chemistry of the leads, with obligatory best-friend support by Molly Shannon and long-time Cusack pal Jeremy Piven. It's hokey, but die-hard romantics are sure to be forgiving. --Jeff Shannon
Serendipity Reviews:
my favorite movie 
2009-11-12 - this is my favorite movie of all time..its so romantic and...it happenned to me so i love it cuz i could relate to it! it came on tine and looks great so i will be buying again...
It was wonderful!!1
2009-10-13 - I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. The picture was clear & it was free of any defects.
Disappointing 
2009-08-31 - For me, it's difficult to enjoy a film that is all about a "chase scene". There's very little development and not much to get attached to. I felt the same way about "Only You". While it's a cute premise, I'd hoped for more.
serendipity
2009-08-15 - The dvd arrived earlier than I had expected. It was in good shape. Thank you.
Serendipity, the movie about wasted time & sullen souls 
2009-08-10 - I consider myself an equal opportunity viewer of cinema, I will watch just about anything. In contrast, I won't watch everything in the movie theater. Therefore I can remember seeing the trailer for this movie in the theater and thinking "This movie looks stupid" and "money was spent to make this tomfoolery"? Then some years later "Serendipity" was on cable and figured why not give it a shot. I am not the biggest fan of romantic comedies, but every once in awhile there is a diamond in the rough. This movie was no diamond, but was rough to watch.
When watching a movie I try to identify with the main character(s). I attempt to do this by relating their situations to an experience I might have encountered. Or if I have some sort of investment in what the character's grapples, goals and/or endeavors are then I want to see where the story will take them. This movie failed to satisfy either of my identification ruses.
The entire concept of this movie is asinine, guy and girl meet. They share an unexpected evening of "serendipity". They are two strangers that bump into each other and manage to share themselves with one and other. This is done by just speaking to each other and attempting to uncover where the other one is coming from. There is no sex, or one night stand, just a sweet moonlight, chilly night in New York. As the night comes to a close, Sara (Kate Beckinsale) gives her phone number to Jonathan (John Cusack) on a piece of paper. The paper flies away in the wind and Jonathan asks if she can give him the number again. Sara says no and that it is part of serendipity. She then writes her name and phone number in a book and alludes to if he can find this book, he can contact her. Jonathan is standing there befuddled while Sara walks away. Let's play devil's advocate, is it not serendipity that two random people met in New York and felt a connection instantaneously?
So now it is like ten years later, or something and both Sara and Jonathan are living different lives. (It is even funnier that Sara became a psychiatrist given the insight she lives her life by.) In the back of both of their minds they wonder what could have been had that night so many moons ago worked out differently. There isn't much more to it, a series of pratfalls and mishaps, not to mention that both Sara and Jonathan are engaged to other people but still infatuated with one and other. These smitten vibes are present despite that fact they only met once all the years ago and don't even know each other's last name. Nevertheless this being a romantic comedy it isn't too difficult to figure out how it would end. The acting is usually fair for this type of movie and the overall impression was sort of flat. The introduction to this movie was so acerbic that it really destroyed the rest of the film for me. The entire premise seems so, I don't know avoidable.
I realize not everyone shares my point of view (which is a good thing) but if I met a woman and had a wonderful night. A night that was unexpected, mind you, and we both felt a connection, a conduit that goes much deeper than carnal urges, because true intimacy can be a precious thing. Then she gives me her phone number only for the wind to blow it away and my request for her number again ends with "its serendipity", I would say "you've got to be kidding me" or "thanks for ending this relationship before we went any further" maybe "I have already dated my fair share of borderline woman, I'll pass" another retort "got to go, TNT has a James Bond marathon on".
I suppose it is just me, but this movie shows two people who could have been happy and spend multiple years miserable by choice. When this movie was over I felt really depressed and longing for a Tom and Jerry cartoon.
