I wanted to watch this movie as soon as I saw the previews, because the previews already made me cry. I had very high expectations and the movie did just what it promised. I loved it so much and I cannot wait for it to come out on DVD for me to collect. I will talk about the plots, but I will try to limit the spoilers to the minimum.

The Synopsis
Kate (Sandra Bullock) moved out of a beautiful cabin by the lake and moved back to the city. She left a note in the mailbox and asked the "new tenant" to kindly forward her mail. Who would have thought that this "new tenant", Alex (Keanu Reeves), actually lived in a time and space that was 2 years ago. They gradually fell in love through the communication of letters, and Alex managed to meet Kate a few times. However, out of frustration, Kate decided to end the "long-distance" relationship. Then one day, when she met Alex's brother, she finally realized...

An Unrealistic Love Story That Seems So Real
This movie did a pretty good job on explaining what is happening in a seemingly logical and convincing way. Even though this is not likely to happen in real life, most of the scenes between the past and the current are tied to each other and they seem believable. Nonetheless, there are a few minor things that did not make sense to me. For example, if Alex did something after he knew Kate, and therefore changed Kate's life (or memory), then where did the "old memory" go? Another example is the ending. I thought it really did not make sense (compared to all the other explainable scenes in the movie), but who cares? I am willing to overlook the holes. I think the point of the movie is to appreciate a genuine romance, and not to dig what is logical and what is not. After all, this is not a realistic story to begin with.

The Technical Stuff: Music, Scene Transitions, etc.
I enjoyed the music in this film. It is nice, gentle, and flows through the scenes without any distractions. It is a good fit for the film. The main idea of the movie is the twists of the timeline. So the scenes go between the past and the current very frequently. For the most part, it is very clear "when" things are happening, and the transition between the scenes is very smooth. However, there were a couple of spots where I got confused. Maybe I just didn't pay enough attention.

The Cast
I like Sandra Bullock very much, and I think she did a great job presenting the character who has finally found a soul that speaks to her but exists in a different timeline. Just like "normal girls", she was confused and probably frightened, "Can this be my true love?" She struggled, gave in, and finally picked up her strength. Sandra Bullock fits this image perfectly. I also think Keanu Reeves did a good job too. His character is introverted, dedicated, and considerate. His passion is the "burning inside" kind. I think his eyes speak a lot in this movie. I also liked the other characters. I think they all did a good job to support the whole story, especially Jack the dog, who was absolutely adorable.

Why I Like It So Much
It is a girly love story and I love a movie that makes me cry. But on top of that, this movie is also different because of an unrealistic story made so real, and I can feel the struggle in the characters and how hard they both tried to make this work. It is their dedication and will power that attracted me the most.

All in All
I cannot emphasize how much I love this movie. If you like romantic movies, I believe you will surely love this movie. I did not wait and watched it on the big screen. However, I have to admit that this movie is really better suited for viewing on a DVD (or VHS) and not in the movie theater. The main theme of the story is the twist of the timeline. So the scenes go back and forth between 2006 and 2004. Most scenes are clear whether they are "current" or "past", but not all of them. I have gotten confused at least twice in the movie. There are also many hints that tie the past to the current date, and if you missed any, you can't rewind the scenes in a movie theater.

By the way...
If you noticed that I gave lower ratings for Action, Suspense, and Special Effects, it is really because this is not an Action or Suspense movie. So it is hard to give a high score on those aspects. But this is definitely a Five Star movie on my list.


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good Date Movie
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 9 - 12