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SERENDIPITY
Predestination (a.k.a. fate) and free will (a.k.a. choice) duke
it out and find a common ground.
Review by MIKE FURCHES
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SERENDIPITY
(2001)
This
page was created on October 10, 2001
This page was last updated on
May 22, 2005
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Credits
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Directed by Peter Chelsom
Written by Marc Klein
John
Cusack .... Jonathan Trager
Kate Beckinsale .... Sara Thomas
Molly Shannon
Jeremy Piven
Bridget Moynahan
Eugene Levy
Amita Balla .... Bride
Produced
by Peter Abrams (producer), Robbie Brenner (co-executive producer),
Simon Fields (producer), Julie Goldstein (executive producer), Amy
Kaufman (co-producer), Robert L. Levy (producer), Bob Osher (executive
producer), Andrew Panay (co-producer), Amy Slotnick (executive producer)
Original music by Alan Silvestri
Cinematography by John de Borman
Film Editing by Christopher Greenbury
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for a scene of sexuality, and for brief language.
Runtime: 90
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Serendipity
Various Artists - Soundtrack - 2001
1. Never A Day - Wood 2. Moonlight Kiss - Bap Kennedy 3. January
Rain - David Gray 4. Waiting In Vain - Annie Lennox 5. The Distance
- Evan & Jaron 6. Like Lovers Do - Heather Nova 7. When You Know
- Shawn Colvin 8. Northern Sky - Nick Drake 9. Cool Yule - Louis
Armstrong 10. This Year - Chantal Kreviazuk 11. (There's) Always
Something There To Remind Me - Brian Whitman 12. 83 - John Mayer
13. Fast Forward - Alan Silvestri
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Can
Once In A Lifetime Happen Twice?
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SYNOPSIS:
Serendipity n. an aptitude for making fortunate discoveries accidentally
[serendipitous adj.] -Webster's Dictionary
One
magical night in their twenties, Jonathan (John Cusack) met Sara
(Kate Beckinsale). He was in love at first sight but Sara believed
in destiny. Now, after ten years, two fiancées, and 3,000 miles
between them, only fate can decide if they're destined to be together
again. When love feels like magic...you call it destiny.
When
destiny has a sense of humor... you call it... Serendipity.
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 Review
by
MIKE FURCHES
mike@furches.org
Web site www.furches.org
Mike is the Senior Pastor at United at the Cross Community Church
in Wichita Kansas. United at the Cross is a church made up of individuals
not often accepted in other churches. The church consists of former
gang members, drug addicts, prostitutes and others. Mike also speaks
nationally on various topics and is a freelance writer. To learn
more about Mike and his ministry link onto www.furches.org.
In the arts Mike has worked with top music artists such as Steppenwolf,
Marshall Tucker Band, Kansas and has an active interest in film.
Mike is pictured with his music band "Route 66."
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 What
God has put together let no man put asunder. Wedding vows that many
people around the world use in their weddings but vows that also make
an assumption. An assumption that God puts people together. Thus is
the question of Serendipity. Is there such a thing as finding your
soul mate in life and if there is, where do they come from? While
there are no specific answers to these direct questions, the concept
of Divine Intervention, Fate and or Chance are concepts addressed
in a fantastic way from this wonderfully fun date movie. |
 Following
the tradition of Sleepless in Seattle, Serendipity follows the lost
love adventures of Jonathan Trager, played by the much-underrated
actor, Academy Award Winner John Cusack. Cusack has played such a
variety of roles it is easy to forget how magnificent his talent and
craft are. Throughout the film he plays Jonathan Trager as well as
anyone could. While Tom Hanks played similar roles in You've Got Mail
and Sleepless in Seattle, Hanks lacked the overall depth and facial
expressions of Cusack. While both of those are excellent and fun movies,
Serendipity takes on a little different perspective with more focus
on chance or destiny. Throughout the movie the question is asked:
Is there divine intervention? Does God put people together? Do things
happen by mere chance? and, "If a door closes does God really
open a window?" |
 Trager
happens to meet Sara Thomas one night by what appears to be mere chance
in New York. Through a series of events, they end up spending much
of the evening together talking and skating, realizing from the first
moment that there is something special about their relationship. What
it is just isn't clear, and Sara, played beautifully by Kate Beckinsale,
decides to put their fate in the stars and chance, "If things
are meant to be then we will end up together." While she decides
to place her fate in chance Jonathan does not want to take the risk
and knows from the start that there is something different about their
relationship. |
| Sara
decides to write her name in a book to be placed in a used bookstore,
and Jonathan writes his name on a $5 bill that Sara spends. They decide
that if those items ever comes into the other's possession that their
relationship was meant to be. Along with their names on these items
is the other's phone number. After much discussion, Jonathan talks
Sarah into another option. They each ride a separate elevator picking
a floor at random in the Waldorf Hotel. If they meet on the same floor
their relationship was meant to be. The viewer becomes rather excited
when they see each character pick the 23rd floor respectively and
unknown to the other. Along the way up the elevator a man and a small
child in a devils outfit get on the elevator that Jonathan is in.
The child in the devil's costume then places the divine intervention
between Jonathan and Sara in jeopardy. I won't go into detail here
but what I will say is that the child is not dressed like the devil
by coincidence and there is wonderful spiritual symbolism in this
sequence. What I will say is that the two are separated for years
and the apparent love that seemed so obvious takes a drastic sidetrack. |
 For
the duration of the movie both Jonathan and Sara think they fall in
love with others but in their hearts they feel they must find out
what happened to the other before committing to marriage. It is almost
as if divine intervention begins to occur again in their lives at
crucial times prior to the decision that will erase forever the ultimate
love that is possible between the two of them. Both characters begin
to put their trust in their best friends who appear to have everything
together. As the journey to find the other continues, both Sara and
Jonathan discover that their friends and ones they are about to be
married don't have that perfect life or divine spark that they had
experienced with each other. |
 While
Serendipity is predictable it is still fun. I saw the film with my
wife and it was nice to sit there holding hands throughout the movie.
There has not been as fun a date movie in a long time. The Spiritual
issue of God putting people together is wonderfully thought out as
is the blending of the concepts of freewill and predestination without
disregarding either notion. The supporting cast is also plays superbly
and there are some fun moments throughout the film. |
 Serendipity
is one of those films in which one has to question the role of Spirituality
in movies and why it is there. This film is laced with questions and
answers, (if one is looking for them.) There is ample opportunity
to discuss faith and spirituality after viewing this film. It would
make a fabulous, fun double date movie. It could also lead to great
after movie dinner or desert discussion with a couple of friends.
See it with friends and then talk about the spiritual questions asked
in the film. |
 While
certainly not original it is still very well done. Between a book,
a five dollar bill and a couple of pleasing golf swings it all adds
up to an enjoyable 8 |
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FATE
Subject:
Serendipity
Date: Wed, 21 Nov 2001
From: Nicole
I went to go
see this movie about a month ago. It was a nice cheery movie, but,
you see, it implies that faith is just a thing of the past and that
fate is all we relly need to put our lived in to. Sarah's friend
makes the comment during the movie that if fate is all we need then
what is the point of getting out of bed?
Nicole, 14, FLA
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