01 Apr 2010
Critics rating:
Reviewed by Tom Charity , LOVEFiLM
It's not an especially memorable title...
But Allen Coulter’s film about a troubled youth isn’t what you might expect – especially if that happens to be a saccharine love story tailored to star Robert Pattinson’s tweenie Twilightfans.
US critics have not been kind, but Master Pattinson looks like the real deal to me. Granted he’s not going in for a radical makeover – his skin doesn’t glisten in the sunshine, and his eyes aren’t gold, but otherwise Tyler Keats Hawkins (‘Jesus, your parents are pretentious!’) outwardly resembles a more disheveled version of Edward Cullen. But that’s okay: Pattinsonis easy on the eye, give the fans what they want. He’s also charismatic, a rare Englishman who can pull of an American accent without strain, and (given decent material) a very capable actor. Who knew?
US critics have not been kind, but Master Pattinson looks like the real deal to me. Granted he’s not going in for a radical makeover – his skin doesn’t glisten in the sunshine, and his eyes aren’t gold, but otherwise Tyler Keats Hawkins (‘Jesus, your parents are pretentious!’) outwardly resembles a more disheveled version of Edward Cullen. But that’s okay: Pattinsonis easy on the eye, give the fans what they want. He’s also charismatic, a rare Englishman who can pull of an American accent without strain, and (given decent material) a very capable actor. Who knew?
Tyler is a New York college student – sort of. He’s also the son of a very rich businessman (Pierce Brosnan) whom he despises, and still grieving for the older brother who killed himself six or seven years earlier on his 22nd birthday. That milestone is now coming up for Tyler and he’s having trouble keeping it together. One night, drunk, he steps into a fight and winds up decorating a police detective’s windscreen with his face.
Shortly after, he’s presented with a chance to chat up the same cop’s daughter, who just happens to be a student at the same school. Ally (Emilie de Ravin) also has a tragic back-story. When she was 11, she saw her mother murdered by a couple of muggers.
It makes sense that these two wounded souls should fall for each other – and that Tyler ducks out of admitting the real reason he chatted her up in the first place. But of course we know that at some point Ally’s dad (Chris Cooper) is going to make the connection.
Shortly after, he’s presented with a chance to chat up the same cop’s daughter, who just happens to be a student at the same school. Ally (Emilie de Ravin) also has a tragic back-story. When she was 11, she saw her mother murdered by a couple of muggers.
It makes sense that these two wounded souls should fall for each other – and that Tyler ducks out of admitting the real reason he chatted her up in the first place. But of course we know that at some point Ally’s dad (Chris Cooper) is going to make the connection.
Mostly, though, first time screenwriter Will Fetters and Coulter (Hollywoodland) keep that card tucked away. Which makes it all the more surprising that it’s played when it is…
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I don’t want to encroach into spoiler territory, andRemember Me certainly sets some challenges for a reviewer on that score. It’s part of the pleasure of the movie that you think you know where it is headed, and then after a certain point you realise that it could go somewhere quite different. All I would say is that this is more than a love story, it’s really a film about how tragedy strains and cracks even the most loving relationships, and, well, you should watch it with an open mind.There’s good work from Pattinson, as I said, and of course Chris Cooper is Mr Reliable. I liked Emilie de Raven (Brick) too – a refreshing change from the usual skinny model type Hollywood force-feeds us, and Ruby Jerins as Tyler’s kid sister Caroline. The only weak link is Tate Ellington, who overplays the wiseacre roommate shtick.
By the way, that’s Martha Plimpton in the first scene as Ally’s mom – long time no see.
By the way, that’s Martha Plimpton in the first scene as Ally’s mom – long time no see.
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