Film Reviews

Serendipity

• Rating:
• Director: Peter Chelsom.
• Starring: John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Piven, Molly Shannon.
• Details: US / 90 mins / (12PG).

Serendipity (no, we don't know what it means either) follows Jonathan (Cusack) a savvy New Yorker who runs into Sara (Beckinsale) in a department store one evening. The pair click and spend the vast majority of the evening together before going their separate ways. Months pass and the two prepare to get married to different people. However, neither of them can forget the chance encounter with the other. As far as romantic comedies go, Serendipity isn't a particularly great one. Although it won't be revealed here, the plot is too far-fetched to work and plods needlessly in places, attempting to provide some semblance of believability. Still, on the plus side, Cusack is never less than watchable on screen - even if there's little chemistry between Beckinsale and himself - and Piven provides some nice comic relief.

Review by Garreth Murphy