Wicker Park (2004)

Obsession

While some aspects of this plot are fairly far-fetched, it is nevertheless a sexy mystery story. It centers around the concept of obsession, but not in the way it first appears. The film has a nice dreamlike quality to it & the subtle soundtrack helps push the story forward. As it is full of flashbacks by 3 of the characters, it kind of resembles the undoing of an omelet.

It is fitting that one of the characters is an actress in a Shakesperian play; many of Shakespeare's storylines featured motifs of mistaken identity. So too is the case in this film. Still, mistaken identity or not, this movie proves that only Josh Hartnett could get away with turning a breaking-and-entering into a sleepover!

The acting is of a high caliber; both Rose Byrne & Diane Kruger are capable actresses (not to mention easy on the eyes!). Hartnett has once again expanded his range, having acted in everything from a war movie (Black Hawk Down) to a fun & silly Romantic Comedy (40 Days and 40 Nights). He has done a good job of preventing his career from being typecast.

This is a good film that explores how being someone's secret admirer can cross the line into the territory of being a stalker very easily. It is and edgy film, but would have been better with an "R" rating. For myself, it also did a good job of demonstrating the crazy stuff that women do that drives men like me nuts!!
November 8, 2008

Rose Byrne: Sensational. 'Nuff Said!

I'll try not to make this sound like a love letter to Rose Byrne, but I apologize in advance if it comes across as such. I hope people will agree with me when I say that her performance alone makes this movie a must see.

Rose is not the only reason this movie is great. It is a heart-wrenching, tragic love story/mystery brought to life with stunning visual style. Wicker Park is a moving painting augmented by a poetic story. It is a tale of a man, Matthew (played by Josh Hartnett) desperately searching for a lost love, Lisa (Diane Kruger). The film is told in a non-linear fashion and key plot points are revealed at precisely the right time to keep the viewer guessing. This is kind of a spoiler; but the reason his love is lost is because of the manipulative scheming of Alex (Rose Byrne's character). She falls hopelessly in love with Matthew from afar before he even knows who she is. Without too much trouble she is able to devise a plan which allows her to break up the lovers and at the same time get close to Matthew. That's the details of this particular film, but what it boils down to is a classic theme: person A loves person B while person C loves person A. Unfortunately person A essentially doesn't know that person C exists. It's a basic story that almost everyone can relate to in some form or another.

Okay back to the main subject of my review. Yes, Josh Hartnett is well cast and Diane Kruger is adequate in her role, but the real star of the show is Rose Byrne. Her character is not fully revealed until 45 minutes into the film, but from that moment on, you will forever be under her spell. Rose is perfectly cast. No one can say as much with just their eyes and facial expressions as Rose Byrne can. Love, hurt, anger, fear, sadness, remorse, embarrassment, and elation are all easily displayed without so much as a word. And what a beautiful face it is, her eyes alone make me weak. Thankfully the filmmakers were aware of this and took full advantage; frequently shooting her in close-up.

Rose's character Alex can easily be seen as the villain because she does everything in her power to keep Matthew and Lisa apart. Just like in real life, however, everything isn't black and white. "Love makes you do crazy things," as Rose's character declares. It depends on who you personally identify with. Different viewers will sympathize with different characters, and that is a credit to the dramatic story and to the filmmakers.

As mentioned earlier, Wicker Park is beautifully photographed and edited (split screen is used frequently to great effect) and the music/score enhances every scene perfectly. Ideally I would give this movie 4.5 stars if I could (I reserve the five stars for a select few) and I can't think of many better ways to spend two hours.
July 28, 2008

Flashy Soap Opera

Paul McGuigan's "Wicker Park" is like a demented episode of friends without the self-conscious humor. Matthew is a twentysomething executive type engaged to his boss's sister but seriously pining for his old lover, Lisa, who left without a trace two years earlier. When Matthew and his fiancee return to Chicago (following Matthew's two year self-exile in New York), Matt hooks up with Luke, an old buddy who was privy to the whole Lisa drama. Luke has recently begun dating Alex, an elusive actress who is driving him crazy. Soon after his return, Matthew spies the long-missing Lisa in a restaurant where he is having a drink with his fiancee and her brother. Or does he? Things start to get really complicated from there on out, so it's important to pay attention in order to keep all the threads straight, as the lives of all the characters intersect in unexpected ways. It's advertised as a thriller but there's nothing really thrilling about "Wicker Park"; despite it twists and turns, it is, first and foremost, a soap opera, and one that, despite its subject matter, is oddly un-sexy.

Director McGuigan does a fair job translating a French film into an American remake. It has a flashy, jumpy quality that keeps the viewer on edge, although that doesn't always work in the film's favor. Josh Hartnett delivers a fine performance as Matthew, the film's hero; he reminds me a lot of Timothy Hutton back in his heyday. This is, arguably, one of his best performances. As the long-lost lover, Diane Kruger is attractive but there seems to be something missing from her Lisa; she's not all that interesting and it's hard to believe that she cares much for Matthew. Much better is Rose Byrne as the secretive Alex; is it a coincidence that she shares the same name as the femme fatale in "Fatal Attraction"? As played by Byrne, Alex is hot and cold, a dynamic mystery woman playing a dangerous game. Matthew Lillard, as Luke, is believable but I have never seen much variation in any of his performances; maybe that has more to do with the kind of roles he keeps getting.

While it starts out interestingly enough, "Wicker Park" becomes too convoluted and contrived to maintain its initial momentum. July 7, 2008

Wicker Park

I received the movie in the time frame that I was suppose to. Great condition! I've used Amazon often for purchases, and they have YET to fail me. Amazon is truly a dependable and reliable source for purchasing products. July 3, 2008

Worth a peek!

I first saw Wicker Park when I rented it on DVD. It is a movie that requires a great deal of concentration to watch to make sure that you catch all of the clues. At times, it becomes difficult to determine if you are watching a flashback or the present. Sometimes, the movie requires that you suspend your belief. For example, it should have been made before the advent of the cell phone. It is hard to accept the movie's premise given the ease with which one can call another person nowadays. However, in spite of all of this, I highly recommend that you watch it. In my opinion, the movie has one of the best endings ever filmed. The music is perfect and the setting of the last scene is incredible! I purchased the DVD and every now and then, I fast forward to the last scene just to experience the emotions that it engenders. June 26, 2008

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