The Lake House

Sept. 8, 2010

“The Lake House” exhibits how time is not to be frittered away on the fleeting and meaningless perplexities of life. It is about two lovers who are kept apart by a time-space continuum that was never explained. There were a lot of ambiguities in this highly-concentrated romance flick. 

Alex, the male lead who is starred by Keanu Reeves, is living his life in 2004, while Kate, played by Sandra Bullock, is in 2006. The two, separated lovers exchange letters in the mailbox at the lake house that they both live in different years. The two of them meet when Alex moves into the lake house that is actually owned by Kate in 2006, which is at the same time as Alex’s in 2004. A letter from Kate is inside the mailbox when Alex checks it, and that’s how they start to converse with each other. 

Each time a letter is inserted in the mailbox, a tiny red flag would amazingly raise and descend. This is one of the mysteries in the movie that leaves the audience with befuddlement. Another odd part was the fact that Alex and Kate have the same dog in their cabalistic time loop. There apparently is no logic in the film. The romance is what keeps the viewers distracted from the absurdity; it takes them at the edge of their seats as they hope for the two love birds would soon cross paths. 

There is such an awaited happenstance where Alex did get to meet Kate—alas, it is the Kate of 2004. This Kate does not know Alex yet, but they do share a kiss that gave the audience to count on more of it.