Almanac Reviews: ‘Serendipity’, Christmas movie?

 

 

 

 

As it is December, the internet is full of lists of Christmas movies. There are the usual ones that make these lists, like Home Alone and The Santa Clause, though this year I saw one I didn’t expect. Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy, starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale.  I’d never considered it a Christmas movie, I guess it is, I suppose. It is not any less of a Christmas movie than Die Hard! So, as I am very familiar with Serendipity, and I own it. I decided to do a re-watch, and see for myself, whether I think it is a Christmas Movie.

 

Serendipity opens with an aeriel view of New York City. As the camera zooms, into street level, the 1953 Christmas song, Cool Yule, by Louis Armstrong, plays in the background. The scene than transitions to inside, a busy Bloomingdale’s on Christmas Eve. This is where we meet the main characters of the film. Johnathan Trager, played by John Cusack and Sara Thomas, played by Kate Beckinsale. They are both reaching for the same black gloves, on a rack. The last pair the store has. Johnathan lets her keep the gloves and they go out for a coffee in exchange. At a café called Serendipity 3, where Sara says Serendipity is her favourite word, and describes it as a happy accident. They both find out they are in relationships with other people, but they are still drawn to each other.  Sara believes in fate, and if they are meant to meet again, they will. They both end up leaving something behind, at the Serendipity café, where they see each other again. They take this as a sign to do something together, so they go ice skating. Sara puts her name and number on the inside cover of the book, Love in the Time of Cholera, then she hands it to a used book store. Johnathan puts his name and number on a dollar bill, then buys something with it. Before Sara and Johnathan part ways Sara says if either of us end up with that book or dollar note, then we are meant to be together. She also gives Johnathan one of the black gloves.

 

The plot then jumps ahead several years, and Johnathan is engaged to a woman. Sara is in a relationship with a touring musician named Lars, played by John Corbett. Most known for playing Ian Miller, in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Sara feels overwhelmed by the touring schedule, and feels she needs a trip away with her friend who owns a New Age store. They fly to New York City but secretly Sara is trying to track down Johnathan Trager, the man she met on Christmas Eve several years before.  Meanwhile, Johnathan is unhappy with his relationship and thinks about Sara. So ensues a ridiculous game of cat and mouse, where they both try to find each other. Through ‘signs from the universe’ and any useful bits of information they can gather.  Johnathan enlists his friend, Dean, who works for the newspaper, and has contacts he can use. Dean, played by Jeremy Piven, is John Cusack’s real-life friend from high school. There are some scenes I think, where you can tell they have genuine friendship.

 

Johnathan receives a gift from his fiancée, it’s the book he constantly checks, at used book stores, Love in the Time of Cholera. Inside the cover is Sara’s contact details. Meanwhile Sara is about to fly back after her New York trip, and is handed a dollar bill by the stewardess and on the note is Johnathan’s contact information. She quickly gets off the plane before it leaves.

 

Johnathan calls off his wedding and Sara breaks up with Lars. Johnathan goes to the same skate rink, from the beginning, and is feeling defeated. He is holding the black glove Sara had given him. Suddenly Johnathan sees another black glove land next to him. He turns around and sees Sara, and they embrace. A year later, they are celebrating their anniversary, at Bloomingdale’s on Christmas Eve, next to the glove rack, where they first met. The song Cool Yule, plays again as the credits begin.

 

With regards to Serendipity’s Christmas themes, well obviously the music that plays in the background. There are also a lot of snowy scenes. Though I know now, it was in fact summer. So, the snow and ice were all fake. Gee, that must have been hot for those actors, wearing winter clothes. There are also tinsel and Christmas decorations in various scenes, to make it feel festive. Overall, the film has a magical quality. So, it feels like Christmas, even though it is not for the whole movie. This movie is somewhat overlooked. As I understand it, it was released just after the September 11 terrorist attacks, so maybe that’s why it didn’t do very well, at the box office. But I’ve always liked it. With this newly found designation, as a Christmas movie, now is a good time to watch it.

 

 

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