The Lake House Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
How do you hold on to someone you've never met?
What if you found the one you were meant for... but you lived 2 years apart?
In Chicago, the lonely architect Alex Wyler has a troubled relationship with his father Simon Wyler. In 2004, he buys an old glass house in a lake, designed and built by his father, and he finds a message in his mailbox from the former tenant, the also lonely Dr. Kate Forster, asking to deliver her correspondence in an address downtown. Alex meets his brother Henry in Chicago and when they go to the address with Dr. Forster's correspondence, they find a building of luxury apartments under construction to be delivered eighteen months later. After some messages, Alex and Kate disclose that she is living in 2006 and Alex in 2004, they fall in love for each other and they try to find means to meet each other.
| Keanu Reeves | Alex Wyler |
| Sandra Bullock | Kate Forster |
| Christopher Plummer | Simon Wyler |
| Shohreh Aghdashloo | Anna Klyczynski |
| Ebon Moss-Bachrach | Henry Wyler |
| Willeke van Ammelrooy | Kate's Mother |
| Dylan Walsh | Morgan |
| Lynn Collins | Mona |
| Mike Bacarella | Mulhern |
| Kevin Brennan | Waiter |
| Frank Caeti | Cove Patron |
| Scott Elias | Doug |
| Lori Ann Gerdisch | ICU Nurse |
| Michael Andrew Gorman | Cove Bartender |
| Jennifer Kern | Nurse |
| Alejandro Agresti |
6.90 out of 10 (15534 votes)
Visitor Reviews
A Romance with Patience
posted on 22 Aug 2009The Lake House, a new film released on Friday, brings light to a new kind of romance- a romance with patience. Starring the famous duo from "Speed," Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves costar again to ignite theaters and enlighten their viewers with a unique and obvious chemistry. This time the two moved away from endless bus rides and crazy killers to star in a lightly toned timewarped film about two people that fall in love, but live in two different time periods.The movie brings an edge, a twist to romance—a couple that fall in love but have no idea who the other person is. Typically we see hot and saucy movies where couples jump in the sack together and can't keep their hands off of each other, but this movie seems to almost support couples that fall in love for the sake of personality, chemistry, words and interests. The movie promoted an interesting unconventional concept from what we normally see on big screen.
It will make you think
posted on 18 Aug 2009First I am a huge fan of Sandra Bullock. Second I also am a fan of Keanu Reeves. The both of them in Speed was delightful. The Lake House is a film where you have to pay attention. The best of it is the twists and turns it takes throughout the whole movie. If your a film goer and liked or loved the movie the Sixth Sense---Then you will surely like this one. I like being teased and made to think while I watch a movie. I could not guess the ending, nor could I guess another part of the movie which totally shook me. When I did see it, It made sense and, much to my ire,I did not figure this one out, just like I never figured out the Sixth Sense. So watch it and have everything on the table your going to need to watch a movie and take your bathroom break before it begins. You will like it. We both did. It will end up in my film library.
Worth Watching!!!!!
posted on 16 Aug 2009It's about a young doctor and architect who accidentally start exchanging letters. Kate Forster (Sandra Bullock) leaves a letter to the new occupier of her lake house which turns out to be Alex Wyler (Keanu Reeves). After a few more letters they realise that they are living 2 years apart, Alex in 2004 and Kate in 2006.The lake house was built by Alex's father, who is also an architect, for his mother. They have a very troubled relationship as his father didn't agree with the decisions he made about his future.Kate was drawn to the house because it was the only place she can escape to from her hectic life. She is very close to her mother and she usually reads the books that her late father used to buy.They realise one of their connections is the dog that lives with both of them. They also have a few close encounters after Alex realises who she is. After a few more letters they fall in love but a tragedy might strike the couple which might spoil their future of love.
Nicholas Sparks would be proud
posted on 12 Aug 2009This movie was fantastic until the last ten minutes. It did a great job of taking the predictability out of what would normally be a formula film. BUt at the end just when you think the film would come together and end with a finite action leaving nothing to the imagination. This movie like so many other modern romance movies had the chance to be a tragedy that would have made audiences weep in the theatrs the way romeo and Juliet probably did to the audiences of that time period. But instead of being a movie that would be in the running for several Oscar nominations, we got a romance novel put on the big screen. This movie became a well budgeted lifetime film that deserved the daytime movie slot it usually would be played in. This film had two very good actors in my opinion, in Keanu Reaves and Sandra Bullock, but their talents and efforts through out the film were wasted by the Director who had the power to make or break this movie. He broke it because he was to afraid to break the barrier and made a movie that was anything but completely conform to the popular themes of the modern love story.
I love this movie!
posted on 12 Aug 2009This moving is absolutely amazing! The way this movie made me feel while I was watching it is just indescribable. It truly touched me. The soundtrack was incredible too. My favorite scene in the entire movie is when they danced. There couldn't have been a better song selected than Paul McCartney's "This never happened to me". Just this scene alone brought me to tears. You really feel for Alex & Kate in this movie. The anticipation that grows throughout this movie is unimaginable. You think they aren't going to meet. OMG...the end of this movie stunned and scared the crap out of me. I have no finger nails left because I chewed them off during the last part of the movie!
Creative, romantic, original... what more could you ask?
posted on 04 Aug 2009I hadn't expected to see a fantastic film when I went to see The Lake House. Although I'm a fan of Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves just doesn't quite do it for me. However, within five minutes, I was converted. The story was fresh and original -- a welcome change from films that are just re-workings of older stories. This one had it all -- a compelling romance, realistic characters, heart-wrenching drama, and a great soundtrack. Sure, the whole letter-writing thing was a bit far-fetched, but it was the idea behind it that was important, not the means of achievement. One thing stood out for me as a bit of an anachronism **Spoiler Warning**: Though we're never told when Kate's birthday is, we do know that there are two years between the 2006 scene where Kate and Morgan discuss the kiss she shared with the guy at her birthday party in 2004 and the scene of her actual 2004 party when she meets Alex for the first time and we find out that he was the one she kissed; it has to be, because they are living exactly two years apart. That would put her birthday party probably in the latter half of the year 2004. However, the song they dance to (Paul McCartney's "This Never Happened Before") wasn't released until September, 2005, when Sir Paul's album "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard" was released for sale. Unless the song was available a year before the album's release, they couldn't have been dancing to it at that party. But, like the mailbox thing, I suppose it can be overlooked for the sake of a good story.
The Role she was born to play
posted on 02 Aug 2009Don't try to rationalize the framework of the plot. These type films exist - have always existed - for a reason: they allow for the development of an intensity that is often awkward to achieve on film.I think Cecil Kellaway said it best in Portrait of Jennie, "...there ought to be something timeless about a woman..." Lake House is the reward for those of us who have continued to watch Sandra Bullock through some pretty awful films during the past decade, never knowing quite why.From the moment when Kate sits, alone on her birthday, in a Chicago bar, Lake House changes. Gone are the cloying, stereotyped characterizations of almost all "romantic" films of the recent past, including the first 45 minutes of this one! In a few moments, Kate comes to life. She realizes what every human being is meant to realize, and she devotes herself to fulfilling that realization. The facade is gone. And that is the point of this type of film.From that moment on, Sandra Bullock simply glows. Both she and Keanu Reeves rise above anything they've ever done, and - for an all-too-brief hour - they create magic.For those lucky enough to have that magic in real-life, the effect is simply beautiful.For those who are not...well...the wait is worth it!
Kindred spirits separated in time
posted on 31 Jul 2009"Lake House" is a wonderful romance story, but must be viewed in the right vein. If one looks for plot holes about altered time lines and so on, this film is an easy target. However, for the romantics in the audience, allow this fantasy romance tale any poetic license it requires, and you'll be rewarded with a pleasant and sentimental movie.The premise is intriguing: two people who lived in the same house at different times establish communication through letters that inexplicably traverse time. To pull this story line off demonstrates a superior acting job by the two leads.Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves are splendid together in this, even achieving better screen chemistry than they showed in "Speed." The plot is involved, since frequent leaps back and forth in chronology are an absolutely essential plot device for this premise. In fact, these jumps are foundational to the whole idea. The director has found many creative methods to illustrate the chasm of time that separates the two characters; my favorite is the "new message" alert they each receive, which is brilliant in its simplicity.One major twist pivotal to the story may not fool everyone; it's a little on the obvious side. Yet even if you catch on to the setup for this twist, the strongly emotional script involves you enough to ignore the loss of a surprise ending. Both principal characters have pain and struggles in their respective lives, and these back stories meld extremely well into the equation of their metaphysical romance. They both have chances to help one another through these problems, in moving and ingenious ways.A superb romantic fantasy that needs you to allow yourself to believe. If you allow it a chance to touch you, it will.
Lovely
posted on 29 Jul 2009Omg, I totally loved it...it makes you dream. Just wonderful. The actors were great. This movie even though logically is a bit difficult to understand shows the power of love and the greatness of it. One should hold on for the people they love. I loved everything about this movie, even the songs during certain scenes, they seemed to match perfectly with the situation like for example the song, "This never happened before", it gives you a sense of reality to the unreal feeling of the whole movie. It made me dream, it made me believe in the different ways love can take form and that sometimes destiny doesn't really exist. Enjoy the movie as much as I did.
This film inspired me
posted on 29 Jul 2009This is a spectacularly film !!!When i first saw it my heart ceased to endure suffering and started to live again full of hope ,hapiness and the freshness of a new life...Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are two professional actors and they did their best in this movie...I guarantee this movie will take your breath away.If "Sweet November" ending disappointed you this film is made to return all your bitter taste by giving you the power to see the beauty of the life and to feel a little bit romantic cause our souls need romantic to relax once in a while.This film is perfect when you want to make yourself confortable and to share all your feelings...This film inspired me...
Very Touching Movie
posted on 25 Jul 2009Its a very beautiful movie. Both Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock are at their best. The movie shows a beautiful relationship grown between a Arcitect(Reeves) and A Lonely Doctor(Sandra)separated by a distance of only 2 years. And gradually they fall for one another and they must solve it out the mystery behind it. They arrange a date at IL Mare but Reeves was absent though he promises Sandra to be present there. Its Feb 14 Valentine's Day 2006 and suddenly "Alex" remember today is the day Kate Forster starts knowing him back to his time.He ran for it. The Same day at 2008 Kate knows from Alex's brother that Alex was dead and his death happened the same day to years before now its time for her to save her love of life. Is she able to save him? Is she able to make him wait another 2 years. Or did she loose him? They Have to wait a very long time to see one another after long 4 year from 2004 to 2008 they meet ultimately.
This is a bad movie.
posted on 21 Jul 2009A very bad movie. My friend and I had figured out every plot twist in the first ten minutes. And Keanu Reeves is a really bad actor. His "look how dramatic I can be" voice rips apart my soul and evaporates my will to live. That's just not how humans speak. But I digress. This movie sucks. And not just cuz it was unrealistic which it was, but I can handle unrealistic. The vast majority of movies are unrealistic. No this movie was bad because it was stupid. It's like they took all the bad things about Frequency (which there were a lot of cuz that movie sucked a bunch), made them infinitely more extreme, and changed ham radio to mail, which by the way is way worse than ham radio. I'm not really sure why. Anyways, never ever ever see this movie. Or you will die. FROM A BUS TO THE FACE!!!!
Beautiful Movie
posted on 19 Jul 2009I saw this movie with my seventeen year old son. Both of us enjoyed it.Now for the spoilers. The dog and the mailbox helped to keep the mood light. We bonded with the dog , since our own thinks he's human too. I read a complaint that there was no explanation for the time rift. I disagree. I felt that the rift was caused by the untimely accident, which would have separated two people who were meant for each other.The flick was a little predictable, but that's okay. I didn't figure out the twist till halfway through. This movie moves at a comfortable pace. The dialog and performances were believable. The cinematography was stunning. Keanu and Sandra have a natural chemistry and their roles captured our imaginations and attention. We were both trying to figure out how to get these two characters together.This movie will be added to our collection of favorites.
Yawwwwn! If you are bored go see it.
posted on 17 Jul 2009This is one of those movies I probably couldn't stand to sit though if I was watching it at home. I find the theater environment enhances things by making you concentrate on the film without distractions. This is your basic romance with a little Sci-Fi thrown in. My problem with it is, if you even watch the previews its pretty easy to guess the ending. Really, I had thought I figured it out by about 20 minutes into it and low and behold I was right. I wont say the movie was boring but so much was telegraphed that when it was over I just had the reaction of "Yeah OK". Also I think the Sci-Fi aspect of the movie needed a little more explanation. I don't expect movies to be realistic but I find its better when at some level they give you a reason for the unusual. Here they just kind of throw it out there and you can take it or leave it.
Interesting Plot, Beautiful Writing ...... Bad Acting, Bad Dialog
posted on 15 Jul 2009Now I will be the first to admit I wasn't thrilled to see this movie to begin with but after watching it I actually quite enjoyed it. The fact that they were living two years apart was very interesting and the few twists and turns at the end of the movie kept me waiting for the end to see what was going to happen. But as for the acting, this may possibly be K. Reeves worst acting to date, and whoever played his brother was also a terrible actor. The letters written between the two of them were written beautifully but as for the dialog between either main character and a minor character, it was terrible. The dialog just added nothing to the movie. Despite the acting and the dialog I would still recommend seeing this movie!
surprisingly wonderful
posted on 15 Jul 2009After seeing the trailer, I didn't expect the Lake House to be a great movie. But it is creative, weirdly believable, not overly sentimental, engaging, on and on. My only real criticism is that the ending is too short and quick, even quicker than the usual Hollywood formula of giving only a minute or two for the resolution. I didn't time it but I think this one gets about 20 seconds. After all that we went through to get there? The ending is also the one part of the movie where the direction falls short. Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves are both top notch actors in the romantic drama and romantic comedy genres. They somehow manage to have great chemistry throughout this film, though they are seldom together; it is especially there at the party where they actually meet and interact. But their chemistry is lacking in the last scene. This is due to the directing, the choreography of their long awaited encounter, followed by the too short and simple "resolution". This short "let's get it over with" ending left me feeling a slight lack of resolution, after such a good film.
Very nice film
posted on 15 Jul 2009Great movie. I really loved it. One of my favorites. It's true that there are some unanswered questions about the time thing, but who cares… And actually, trying to understand is funny… The fundamental quality of the film is not in the time thing. It's in the "reality" of the whole thing. The characters are real. The places are real. Second roles are real. The story, strangely, is real, both simple and complex. Subtlety is a key-word for the film. The vision of Chicago is very subtle. I lived there for many years, and it is exactly like that : lively, quiet, cold, cool, distant, relax… The acting is sooooo subtle : from the small parts to the leads (a special mention to the hostess at the restaurant Il Mare : I loved her !). Bullock, of course, is wonderful. She doesn't overact : she's very mature, strong, fragile, lonely, friendly, very complex. Reeves is great. I can't stand those critics against him, and his supposedly "wooden face"… I would have liked to be a man like him. I like him when he laughs, I like him when he doesn't do anything, even when he looks awkward ! I like him much more than those so-called "great" actors who make a hundred different faces a minute (useless and boring way to act…). Reeves, in the movie, looks like a nice person, a person I would like to talk to. And it is mean (and unfair) to degrade him constantly as an actor… Other great elements of the film are the soundtrack (subtle…), and Jack, of course. A film with a character like her (so complex too…) is evidently lovable. And I would like to finish by saying thanks to the director. I suppose he's responsible for most of the choices. Thank him for doing a film like this, so simple, intelligent, sweet and intense. A film that I loved even more after I've watched it 4 or 5 times. I'm sad that it wasn't more successful at the box office. But I'm confident about its success… in the future ! (I would have liked to say more but I'm not an English-speaker, so…)
Silly story, but compellingly acted
posted on 13 Jul 2009What can be said about a movie like this one? The story is absolutely preposterous (it's based on an Asian movie unknown to me but likely to be better).Kate (Sandra Bullock) lives in a house on the lake (ergo the title), when she moves out she leaves a message for the next inhabitant. Alex (Keanu Reeves) finds the message, but is somewhat irritated, as she refers to the year as 2006, while he lives there in 2004. As they are exchanging more messages, they discover, that they actually live in different times, but communicate through it.To describe the ongoing story exceeds my command of the English language, but the story is not only silly but also predictable. Funnyly enough it works, because director Alejandro Agresti knows how silly it all is and focuses on the mood and the actors. Sandra Bullock is an immensely likable actress (only beaten in her cuteness by Reese Witherspoon), and she's perfectly cast in this. Keanu Reeves, though not the best actor in the world, is equally effective. The have much chemistry and somehow make this story believable. From the beginning we root for them, wish them the best and are drawn into their lives. It's due to their strength as actors, as well to the brilliant cinematography, that this mess of a story is actually quite compelling and worth the admission.
It's not often that my parents and I have the same taste in movies.
posted on 09 Jul 2009This is one of those times.They went to see it opening night. I went to see it at a bargain matinée. And, my showing had a packed house! My folks swear the same thing about their showing. In short: we all loved it.At first, no one in the audience knows which one is two years in the past: Alex Wyler (Reeves) or Kate Forster (Bullock). That quickly becomes established with the help of a stray dog that seemingly adopts Alex. It runs through a roller tray of brown paint, rendering a previously written apology by Kate (regarding some indelible paw prints) much less puzzling.Then, there's the amusing sequence where Kate and Alex freak each other out with the Lake Houses's red mailbox flag. That's what really clinches the cross-time thing for both of them! Those who remember seeing and enjoying "Frequency" or "Somewhere In Time" will love this movie. It may be corny in a few spots! But, not intolerably so. And, those who like to play Sherlock Holmes will quickly deduce just why the pen-pals' big rendezvous does not succeed. Making you root for their attempts at a second chance, all the more!Adding a nice touch of irony is the artist who sings one of the songs on the soundtrack. Happy 64th Birthday, Mr. McCartney! Glad to see that you still haven't had enough of "silly" love songs.
why the film works....
posted on 22 Aug 2009Yes my Darlings, this is a dramatic, funny, romantic, time-travelin' movie. And the film succeeds because the chemistry between Keanu & Sandra is tangible. They've worked together before & genuinely like each other. It's the most important element; because their comfort level helps you believe the story and forget that you're watching Sandra & Keanu. As the characters get to know each other through correspondence, the film seduces you into suspended belief. Your left-brain's logical, analytical, fact-based reasoning doesn't want you to root for them, but your heart does. This film skips over the scientific & enables you to explore the tiniest possibilities of 'what if.......' Yes, it's corny, but so what. So is ROMANCE! See it with someone you desire.