Minor spoilers ahead.
Sandra Bullock and Keanu “Whoa!” Reeves are reunited in this romantic tale about:
OK, there are these two people, and they fall in love. But they can't be together - there's an impossible and almost insurmountable barrier between them. All through the movie, one person is trying to get them back together but circumstances and bad timing keep them apart. At some point during the movie, one of them loses hope but the other doesn't. And then at the very end of the movie, they end up together. The End.
Wait, am I now quoting myself? Am I quoting myself on something I said 10 minutes ago? As Keanu would say, “Whoa!”
Basically, I'll start off by saying this is not my type of movie normally. I went because my wife is a Sandra Bullock fan. And Sandra and Keanu together? Well, let's just say I had two choices: see the movie tonight, or patiently wait in the parking lot of the movie theater for 100 minutes. I decided to watch. And I was pleasantly surprised.
The movie is well done overall. The writing is excellent. Since Keanu and Sandra are basically the only two characters in the movie (other characters probably had less than a week of shooting), the writing must be good to carry the story.
The movie had excellent direction and cinematography too. It wasn't just slapped together, there is a good feel to the movie. The timing is good, it doesn't drag. There are no real “loose ends” hanging in mid-air at the end of the film. From almost the opening scene, to the last scene, the story weaves together well.
Now this movie is not going to be everyone's cup of tea. Clearly, at opening weekend a majority of critics didn't like the movie. But I went in expecting a slow-moving romantic drama. I wasn't expecting “Speed” or “Fast and the Furious”. So I got what I expected.
There were a couple of points in the movie I found touching. There is a point where Sandra's character is heart-broken - and it was a touching scene. Likewise Keanu also had a chance to cry, and those are the moments over which the characters bond.
So I liked the movie. There's some interesting summer blockbuster's coming, so don't worry. The sappy romance stuff is out of the way for the next little while.
Disclaimer The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way.