Sometimes I get in the mood to see a chick flick. And by sometimes, I mean when my husband is working out of town and the kids are in bed. But that's okay. It's better that way, because if I cry there is no one there but my dog, Duke, and he doesn't mind.

So last weekend, when all was quiet in the house, Duke and I settled down and watched The Lake House. I had rented it when it first came out, but was miserable at the time with a cold so I didn't really get to enjoy it. Seeing it was on Comcast's On Demand, I was excited to watch it again.

The Lake House

Kate (Sandra Bullock) is a doctor with not a lot going on in her life. Moving out of her rental, a house on the lake, she leaves a letter in the mailbox for the next tenant with information about the house including letting the new tenant know that the dog prints were there. Alex (Keanu Reeves) is an architect, moving into the lake house. He gets the letter out of the mailbox but the information it contains doesn't make sense to him, especially the dog prints until a day or so later when a stray dog runs through his paint and makes prints.

Confused, Alex writes Kate a letter back and leaves it in the mailbox, who returns to the lake house after a stressful day. Kate reads the letter and responds but the two begin to realize that something isn't right between their worlds. They are living two years apart. But what looks to be an obstacle, becomes a kind of long distance romance.

The Cast

Sandra Bullock as Kate - While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality
Keanu Reeves - The Matrix, Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure

Other notable cast include Christopher Plummer (Syriana), Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Mona Lisa Smile), Dylan Walsh (Nip Tuck) and Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Sand and Fog).

Why I Loved This Movie

While this movie had a few supporting actors, the bulk of the film features only Keanu and Sandra, a pair that had already proven on-screen chemistry when they both starred in Speed. The curious thing about their chemistry in this movie is that they don't have many scenes together. There is a brief time in the middle of the movie and then not again until the very end. There are split screens but not a lot of real person to person interaction. Much of this movie is dialog in the form of letters where the couple get to know each other and over time fall in love.

The story is that of love that seems just out of reach and how close you can get to someone by putting your heart in your words. Gone are the days of long love letters. There is a scene where Alex realizes he is with Kate in her world (two years prior) and while he wants to tell her, he knows she'll think he's crazy because he doesn't exist in her world yet. There is something poetically powerful about meeting someone for the first time who already loves you.

Duke and I both strongly recommend renting this movie, but then Duke's recommendation is more about curling up on the bed with me - he'd recommend static as long as I was there watching it with him. But for me, The Lake House is the ultimate, classic love story and the perfect chick flick... and a good choice.



Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Good for a Rainy Day
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older