The Lake House

The Title : The Lake House
Written by : David Auburn
Directed by : Alejandro Agresti
Produced by : Sonny Mallhi
Distributed by : Warner Brothers
Staring : Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock
Release date(s) : June 16, 2006
Play Duration : 1 hour and 45 minutes

Mysterious, uproar but romantic are all the impression after watching “The Lake House”. This film is produced by the big creative house production which has given their dedication in creating attractive meaningful films in the world. The lake house is not the first drama movie Warner Bros Picture has ever made but it is only one of their best movies included to the America Box Office. The film grossed a total of $13.6 million and stay up on the fourth rank of the United State Box Office. At the time of October, 2006 the film that reunites Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock since Speed in 1994, has grossed domestically $52,330,111.



David Auburn carries the theme of illogical time travel romance to The Lake House. We can say that this film is too much inconsistency but it could not be denied that the writer, David Auburn has succeeded in creating the creative story of the lonely lovers in different time. So some of us may laugh because of not finding this case in the real life, in other hand we will be attracted to its sweet romance story.
The play director of this movie seems want to combine imagination that is unreal to the real life situation. Mysterious but unique are the impression of the movie, since the play director apply “random” plot. The story began by the leaving of dr. Kate Forester (Sandra Bullock) from her Lake House on a winter morning in 2006 for a job in Chicago. She left a note for the next Lake House tenant and asking him to forward her mail, telling him about the paw prints on the bridge, and the box in the attic. Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves), the new tenant did not find any paw prints and found different Lake House, that’s why he disregarded Kate’s letter for a few days. One day he painted the bridge, a stray dog ran and left paw prints. Finally, Alex found that both he and Kate were separated in time by 2 years. Alex was in 2004 while Kate was in 2006. He sent a mail telling that thing. While corresponding through the mailbox, they were in love. Once they met in Morgan’s party, they shared and danced. Alex realized it but Kate did not. Since they realized their feeling, they planned to make a date in IL MARE in 2006, unfortunately Alex did not come. It made Kate decided not to continue her relation because she knew it will be difficult even impossible. She asked Alex not to correspond her anymore. On Valentines Day, Kate and Morgan visited an Architect firm includes Alex’s brother, Henry. Kate noticed a sketch of The Lake House that finally she knew it was made by Alex. As Kate asked Henry about meeting his brother, he sadly said that Alex died two years a go on the day where Kate found herself with the died man because of accident in front of the plaza. Finally she rushed to The Lake House to tell Alex for not going to meet her and cross the street and ask him to wait her in The Lake House.
It is the story of two different people with two different time life. Sandra Bullock as Dr. Kate Forster, the main character, lived in 2006 while Keanu Reeves as Alex Wyler, the main character, lived in 2004. However, they corresponded uniquely from those two different life times. They enjoyed their relationship even though it run uncommonly. The lake house Alex and Kate had ever stayed there in different time and the dog named Jack became unifier of their love. Their love came very naturally. There were many coincidental events that sprouted up affairs between them. Of course, we need to pay more attention in watching plot to plot because it is modified randomly however its easy theme and slow tense make this film interesting to be watched twice.
The Lake House has invited many comments because of it offered another kind of romance story. Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the story raises this question: "Is there a way for them to send letters across the gap that will allow them to meet where she was in 2004, or she where will be in 2006, or vice-versa?" However, the Los Angeles Times from Carina’s Chorano review concludes that the illogical time gap between Alex and Kate cannot really be explained but many natural events of love may be occurred in the existing real world. Gene Seymour in Newsday extremely writes: You may feel the middle of your head pressed to a hard boil." And still many comments about this film. Above all, The Lake House seemly is not created to fulfill the logical thinking of the audiences but to define the feeling of love that is not merely guessable and is not always physically-oriented.
Such films carry some purposes. The film is made basically to express certain condition, to support certain situation, to define reality, to inform some crucial thing, and to contribute to the world of literature as it is done by The Lake House. This film offers another kind of love story that is unreal and imaginative. The Lake House defines the reality that love must not always be materialistic and physical-oriented but the feeling of belonging, self-happiness, feeling to protect, taking and giving is the most crucial values of love. The love of Alex and Kate is real but not real in the term of authentic situation.
Some information about architect supports the existence of another scene of this film. Medical information is also appeared well in supporting the characteristics of the main character. We can also find another “father-son” relationship here.
Again, The Lake House has offered another kind of how people build up their feeling of love. Even though there is a critical assessment about this film that is its illogical plot. The time paradox make the film sounds strange but unique.
Whatever, the Lake House is constantly interesting to be our “friend” of the weekend.