Serendipity

This is the ideal romantic film, brilliantly directed by Peter Chelsom (why does he not make more films?) and perfectly cast with John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale. Jeremy Given gave a wonderful performance as Cusack's friend, which greatly helps the film work. And special mention must be made of a hilarious cameo role played by Eugene Levy as the salesman one most dreads meeting at Bloomingdales in New York. (His hysterical 'don't step behind the counter!' is what we have all encountered so often with neurotic sales people. Of course, one 'understands', while laughing uncontrollably at them.) This film is funny, warm, life-affirming, ironical, strange, disturbing, comforting, and licks your face like a puppy. Its theme is the invisible tapestry and connecting threads of fate which lie behind the events of the visible world, especially as they relate to True Love. In other words, 'serendipity', or fortunate chance. Cusack and Beckinsale find each other, are eternally meant for each other, lose each other, and - well, I don't want to spoil things, - but let us say, search for each other for years, with results to be discovered by the viewer. It is all so charming and just right that rather than find another romantic film, one might just as well watch this one again over and over, with a steadily increasing and delighted smile. Above all, it is Cusack who makes this, as he is the ideal romantic male lead for such charming and elfish fare. His slightly pixie-like looks are just quirky enough, not too much to make him look truly odd, but enough to mark him on the brow as 'an innocent at large' who can have these adventures and really mean them.