Dear John Ws

Posted In: Dear John

Porsha Teal says...

I thought that the movie was a love story until the end of the movie when all the pieces came together. I was the only person in the theater who gasped when it showed the date. Then of course cried like no other. I agree that the end of the movie brought everything to a close. It was sad but a VERY moving story.



I love Robert and think that he went above and beyond he drew me into his character! I would love to see the movie again! I agree if you haven't seen the movie DON'T READ AND REVIEWS AND GO INTO THE MOVIE NOT KNOWING ANY MORE THEN ROBERT IS IN IT! It makes the movie so much better!! You will understand and agree!!!

Posted on November 10, 2010

Regina Shum says...

My girlfriend wanted to watch this, and i didn't think anything of it when i first heard about it, "oh great that twilight guy in another dumb looking chick flick"



wow i was wrong!



This movie isn't a chick flick, it's so deep and emotional it will stick with you for days after you see it, and just wondering am i the only one that felt the screenplay was a little similar to how donnie darko was written? i dont know just how it all came together and the actors...maybe its just me.



But you have to see this movie, when i sat down i was like great hereee we go, but once the first 2 minutes of the movie started i was like, okay this isn't going to be what i thought.



Great powerful movie, see it!



and btw dont go trying to figure out the ending before you watch it, it will ruin it for ya.

Posted on November 10, 2010

Emiko Fujikawa says...

I love this movie because instead of focusing on the the last hours of a person's life and allowing that end to define them, this story takes a flawed and real character and uses his journey to find himself to make us appreciate the untold story of everyone whose life ended before they'd gotten to a discernable finish line.



My husband asked me what the movie was about, and I told him that I couldn't tell him what it was about without making him miss the point.The movie is about the ending, without being about the ending because it forces us to get to know the character and take a journey with him.Tyler's life wasn't about the end of the movie, it was about all the moments that got him there.Seeing the movie without any preconceived notions, we are all in the same position that he is in, not understanding that tomorrow isn't promised.This movie is about potential, lost.



See the movie without seeing the reviews.It's worth it.You can't appreciate the journey if you're already focused on the destination. Carpe Diem.

Posted on November 10, 2010

Julianne Skogen says...

What does this film do? -Something no other film has done in a very long time: it resonates. It sneaks into a lot of people hours later because it takes a long time to process, and then it is a tidal wave. So many people have been affected this way. They say things like: 'I can't stop thinking about it'; 'I want to see it again'; 'I want my sister [fill in the blank] to see it too'. People are blogging up a storm and the comments in spoiler threads are amazing. The film has tapped into a well of thought and feeling so deep its force is stunning. Viewers care, and that's something most movies can't elicit these days. People are telling stories of their lives, their loves, losses and pains, as a result of watching Remember Me. They aren't just discussing the ending. It is of a piece and the power of the film comes from its main theme of love, loss, grief, and healing and everyone can relate to that.



Who, then, is it for? I disagree with June M. This is NOT a chick flick. That's one of the misconceptions. A 16 yr. old boy commented that if was the best film he's ever seen. Grown men are as touched and affected by it as are women. People 14-94 are moved by it. That's a huge demographic which has been riveted.



What does Robert do? The movie and its ending work because the audience comes to love Tyler, the central character, as a lover, son, brother, friend. Robert Pattinson plays Tyler with subtlety and range--if James Dean must be referenced, he comes off as less than Pattinson. He is the linchpin, the glue, and without a great performance the centre would not hold. The ending is so huge precisely because by that time viewers are emotionally invested in Tyler, because Robert's nuanced performance rings true, every emotion reflected in his remarkable face. We know Robert's portrayal worked because it breaks our hearts as if it were our own son or lover, when we know what is coming.



Who gets it, who doesn't? As others here have stated, the film has been badly marketed and misrepresented. Many negative criticisms come from critics who want to saddle you with their own biases and resentments. Ignorant and arrogant reviewers have eyes but refuse to see, ears but refuse to hear. If I were kind I'd say they don't get it. But critics have maligned the lead actor and the screenwriter with no good reason. It's nauseating. They no longer know how to experience with open minds and open hearts. My advice: don't read any reviews until after you see the film. And see it at the theatres if it's still there! You'll kick yourself if you don't.



Unforgettable: The film's treatment of the event at the end is homage, tastefully and eloquently done. It speaks to the enormous power of this film that it could unleash such a deep and primal well of feelings in so many of us. It is the remarkable result of a remarkable movie.

Question?: What other film in the recent past has compelled viewers to make their voices heard, like I'm doing here, has had the effect I've described? What other film? Name it.

The outpouring of soul-baring stories from viewers is itself very moving. It shows what this little $16M production with the mega-heart has done. People are going inside themselves and finding meaningful places, because this movie had guided them there. People call up significant losses in their lives and place them in the glowing light of loving remembrance. For Remember Me to call that up and to remind us, to lead us to our deepest humanity, is a potent thing. Tyler is the touchstone which ignites similar feelings which come, in each individual, from their specific emotional place. What a gift! This film is a tour de force. From the acting, directing, screenplay, musical score, concept, it quietly takes your breath away.

Posted on November 12, 2010

Ami Blanchard says...

I saw this movie over the weekend. I can tell you, it is one of the best movies I have ever seen. I've already seen it a couple more times...the more I see it...the more I love it. It is more than a love story...and not easy to explain...except to say I found there wasn't one bad scene in the movie..it all kept you so engrossed in the story. You go thru the whole range of emotions during this film...and the ending will surprise you and stsy with you long after you leave the theater. Love passionately and live loudly every moment of your life.

Posted on November 13, 2010

Jared Bailleu says...

Remember Me is unforgettable. Everything about this little film with huge emotions is perfect. Robert Pattinson is a stand out and not just because he's "Robert Pattinson" but because he's more than that and his portrayal as Tyler Hawkins proves it. Mr. Pattinson is amazing, heartbreaking and real. I admire and I respect the choice he made in choosing this film with all the hysteria surrounding him and that other character he's become so famous for. See Remember Me and let your heart judge for itself.

Posted on November 14, 2010

Violette Lacey says...

Brilliantly acted and grossly misunderstood, 'Remember Me' is neither a romance nor romantic drama,but rather a drama of life, love, and loss; a drama of families touched by grief and struggling with, sometimes strangled by, coping and hoping. 'Heartwarming and heartbreaking' as the main actor, Robert Pattinson, describes the film, there is love, anger, rejection, humour, and so many other conflicting and confusing emotions in the life and lives of a family, of an individual. Get to know the main characters through this intense slice of life, and feel the impact of loss to comprehend what was stolen, thousands of times over.

Posted on November 15, 2010

Carolina Bourjolly says...

It's hard to escape spoilers these days and while I tried, eventually one caught up with me. Knowing something about the ending and reading the mixed reviews I found myself interested in seeing if Robert Pattinson could act but wondering if this is the right vehicle and whether I wanted to see it. Then I came across an interview with the screenwriter. I pretty much knew the ending before I saw the movie and in a strange way it made the watching even more meaningful since the ending isn't as important as how the film gets there and what it says along the way.



I was plesantly surprised that even tho RP was in nearly every scene I didn't feel this was a vehicle for him but rather a character and relationship study. I expected him to be much more brooding and dark based on what I'd read. I'd like to see him stretch and tackle a variety of roles; I was plesantly surprised at his performance here. Somehow his leading man persona blended into the ensemble more than I expected and gave coherence to the movie. The relationship between Tyler (RP) and his younger sister was particulaly touching. I give RP a lot of credit being able to step into his character and let the assortedrelationships surrounding him shine.



This movie will resonate with anyone who's lost someone unexpectely and how we each find ways to go on and live our lives. I found it a study of real people in "real" situations. The plot was somewhat predictable. How the unfolding was handled kept me interested.Being an exNYer, the city and surroundings resonated with me regardless of the ending and clued me into where the movie was going in several places.



Remembering back to my early 20s, it was a very hard time even without loss, for the first time being without structure and trying to find my path in life, not easy in the best of times. Watching so many different people finding ways to cope with senseless loss created a focus on the importance of living and loving every day.



I really appreciated the sensitive handling of the ending. The minimalist way of dealing with the horror had a lot of impact for me. Unexpected tragedy can be part of life. The clues are there all thru the movie. I mostly was haunted by the actual ending and how it tied to the beginning. How healing can come even from great saddness when life is lived with love.

Posted on November 16, 2010

Cheryl Datil says...

I was not inclined to check out "Remember Me" because it stars Robert Pattison.In the "Twilight" universe I belong to neither Team Edward nor Team Jacob, being more of a Team Bella kind of guy (or maybe Team Alice), so his presence was insufficient to get me interested.But the movie also has Emilie de Ravin, who I remember as being young and pregnant on "Roswell" before she played young and pregnant on "Lost," which restored some equilibrium.But then I noticed that the movie had an A- rating on Redbox, which is one of the few A grades I have seen, so I decided to rent it, knowing nothing else about the movie.It turns out that Pattison's Tyler Hawkins and de Ravin's Ally Craig, are both scarred by devastating deaths in their lives and in the great tradition of such movies, they find each other, and despite coming from totally different worlds and a deep dark secret that could threaten everything, it looks like things might possibly have a chance of actually working out between them as they heal each other.



As far as both leads go I can say this is the best work I have seen either of them turn in.For the first time I got a sense of Pattison as playing an interesting character who is neither Hogwart's golden boy nor the paragon of undead virtue, and the actor gets bonus points for being an executive producer on this film, which underscores his level of commitment to this product.But as much as I liked his performance I thought de Ravine was better.Certainly her's is the more grounded and realistic character, and she avoids a lot of the stereotypical problems of the female character in this type of romance.Then there is Ruby Jerins as Tyler's kid sister Caroline.I have watched Jerins in "Nurse Jackie," where I am pretty sure I have never seen her character, a child worried about way too much to far too great a degree, crack a smile.So it was nice seeing her be more like a real kid, although Caroline has her own problems.In many ways, the most touching relationship in the film is between Caroline and Tyler, while the most troubled is between Tyler and their father, Charles (Pierce Brosnan), who is apparently as rich as he is distant from his children.Ally has issues with her father (Chris Coooper), a New York City cop, who actually gets to meet Tyler before she does, and therein lies another crucial element in the tale.As you might guess with Brosnan and Cooper as the fathers, the supporting cast of this 2010 film is a major strength.The international flavor of the cast continues with Lena Olin as Tyler's mom, and then we throw into the mix Martha Plimpton as Ally's mother and Kate Burton as Brosnan's assistant.Finally, director Allen Coulter, whose name you might recognize more from his directing television series on HBO than as the director of "Hollywoodland," brings an elegant artistic touch to this film.



The problematic element of this movie for the critics (versus the reviewers) is the ending, which, I have to admit, I did not see coming, because I did not pick up on the significance of the opening shot or work out the dates to realize this is not a film set in our presence.For that matter, I did not try to decode the meaning of the film's title.That being said, I think there are three factors supporting the conclusion.The first is that the ending is well set up as a surprise.Marcelo Zarvos's score creates a strong sense of unease that something not too good is going to happen, and those of you adept at "reading" a film will pick up on what is going to be the source of that badness, only that is not how it plays out.I am not sure if the credit belows to the screenplay or the director, but it plays out well.The second would be how the more you think about the movie the more you can see how the actions of the characters ended up switching the positions of two of them, and you all know how I love irony the master trope of the universe.The final and least important one is that screenwriter Will Fetters literally began with the ending and then decided to tell a story that reached that particular point.There is no way of knowing that when you just see the film, and I did not find out about it until afterwards, but it is important to appreciate that the ending is integral to the story and not one of those endings that Hollywood producers like to slap on a film.

Posted on November 17, 2010

Danna Holoway says...

This movie is not one you should be bringing your 12 year olds who loves Robert because of Twilight. The content was deep and it deals with murder, suicide, death and sex. The sex scenes aren't terribly graphic, but obvious.



The main characters had tough lives and I thought their awkwardness and angst was well played and appropriate considering their experiences. Their relationship was so sweet, with that edge that is deep within the characters. You really grow fond of all the characters throughout the course of the movie. Despite the ending being controversial I feel it was done in a classy way. The end was tragic, and I bawled my eyes out. Despite tradgedy the movie also shows redemption and that people will can keep moving forward. I can't wait for this to come out on DVD.

Posted on November 17, 2010