"Remember Me", is a story of soon-to-be 22 Tyler (played by Robert Paterson) who's as undecided about his college major as about his life.
Sleep-walking through the New York City of 2001, reminiscing about his dead brother (who took his life at 22), Tyler looks for a way to act out his teenage angst overlapping into his early 20's. Smoking excessively can only get you so far It just so happens, that one night, he comes across a street fight, in which he cannot help getting involved in. As the police arrives at the scene, simply dispersing BOTH the attackers and the assaulted, Tyler lives up to his rebelliousness and questions the Sergeants decision (played by Chris Copper) which leads to a night in jail.
Soon after, thanks to divine providence, he finds out that the cop's daughter, Ally, (portrayed by Emillie de Raven) goes to the same school and pushed by a friend (played by Tate Ellington) becomes romantically involved with her so she can be later dumped as a way to pay for her father's injustice.
As Ally and Taylor get closer to each other, it turns they have a lot more in common than they ever expected. Tragic events, over and under protective fathers, apparently make for a long-lasting relationship, where Taylor's over impulsive reactions to his emotionally distanced father (played by the book by Pierce Brosnan) becomes the movie's main attraction / struggle. It's a chance for Patterson to look menacing, mumble away words, and use his sharp tongue. Miss playing Edward much? Patterson tries to pull of "Rebel without a cause" with a hint of "The Catcher in the Rye" thought the entire film. It works sporadically, as with the bowl-ashtray scene that completes the room, but mainly – it's a miss. Although the bond that he has with his 11-year old sister (played by the gifted child actress Ruby Jerins), who's as lost as he is – just at a different stage of her life, helped me endure the film's remains.
I'll even dare to say that her performance outmatches Patterson's. She won me over with screen truthfulness.
Not since Woody Allen's "Manhattan" has New York gotten such a personal treatment, where it shapes its residents existence. It's a very down to earth look, that's doesn't take away the attention from the movie's plot. In fact – it enhances it. It felt as if someone shot the film in my backyard.
Because New York is a city of opportunity, it would make sense that this young man, who's struggling with his direction if life, finds himself in the city that other flocks to in order to find meaning.
Remember Me, could have been much more effective as a mini-series. And considering the director's experience in that field, it clearly shows the route he took while shooting was misfitting. Breaking down the story into vignettes instead of cramming it all together would have allowed for more attention, thought and consideration.
I thought that this movie would be a golden opportunity to take out all the Twilight puns, but the ending disarmed me completely No build up. No foreshadowing. No reason for it to be there. Allen Coulter, I hope you'll spend the following weeks repenting for your "twist" ending You've turned a national tragedy into a cheap, popcorn-indulging, filler.
Did the whole idea of mourning had to be brought down to the "on-screen sacrifice"? That death, somehow, makes the people left behind appreciate each other more? Ugh.
Sleep-walking through the New York City of 2001, reminiscing about his dead brother (who took his life at 22), Tyler looks for a way to act out his teenage angst overlapping into his early 20's. Smoking excessively can only get you so far It just so happens, that one night, he comes across a street fight, in which he cannot help getting involved in. As the police arrives at the scene, simply dispersing BOTH the attackers and the assaulted, Tyler lives up to his rebelliousness and questions the Sergeants decision (played by Chris Copper) which leads to a night in jail.
Soon after, thanks to divine providence, he finds out that the cop's daughter, Ally, (portrayed by Emillie de Raven) goes to the same school and pushed by a friend (played by Tate Ellington) becomes romantically involved with her so she can be later dumped as a way to pay for her father's injustice.
As Ally and Taylor get closer to each other, it turns they have a lot more in common than they ever expected. Tragic events, over and under protective fathers, apparently make for a long-lasting relationship, where Taylor's over impulsive reactions to his emotionally distanced father (played by the book by Pierce Brosnan) becomes the movie's main attraction / struggle. It's a chance for Patterson to look menacing, mumble away words, and use his sharp tongue. Miss playing Edward much? Patterson tries to pull of "Rebel without a cause" with a hint of "The Catcher in the Rye" thought the entire film. It works sporadically, as with the bowl-ashtray scene that completes the room, but mainly – it's a miss. Although the bond that he has with his 11-year old sister (played by the gifted child actress Ruby Jerins), who's as lost as he is – just at a different stage of her life, helped me endure the film's remains.
I'll even dare to say that her performance outmatches Patterson's. She won me over with screen truthfulness.
Not since Woody Allen's "Manhattan" has New York gotten such a personal treatment, where it shapes its residents existence. It's a very down to earth look, that's doesn't take away the attention from the movie's plot. In fact – it enhances it. It felt as if someone shot the film in my backyard.
Because New York is a city of opportunity, it would make sense that this young man, who's struggling with his direction if life, finds himself in the city that other flocks to in order to find meaning.
Remember Me, could have been much more effective as a mini-series. And considering the director's experience in that field, it clearly shows the route he took while shooting was misfitting. Breaking down the story into vignettes instead of cramming it all together would have allowed for more attention, thought and consideration.
I thought that this movie would be a golden opportunity to take out all the Twilight puns, but the ending disarmed me completely No build up. No foreshadowing. No reason for it to be there. Allen Coulter, I hope you'll spend the following weeks repenting for your "twist" ending You've turned a national tragedy into a cheap, popcorn-indulging, filler.
Did the whole idea of mourning had to be brought down to the "on-screen sacrifice"? That death, somehow, makes the people left behind appreciate each other more? Ugh.
Tell Your Friends