MovieChat Forums > Serendipity (2001) Discussion > Cute film, but some problems

Cute film, but some problems

posted 17 years ago by jgroub
34 replies | jump to latest

Let's get this out of the way. I liked the film, I know it's a romantic comedy, so it can't be held to the same movie-making standards. I am willing to overlook a lot. But please.

First off, "Sara Thomas"? Could they possibly come up with a more whitebread name than that? (Sarcasm.) How about Sara Tomashevsky? I mean, go to www.whitepages.com and type in Sara Thomas. There are 113 in California, 5 in SF alone! That's plain silly. (And I know she's English, and Tomashevsky doesn't quite fit, but you know what I mean.)

One guy picking up chairs after a busted wedding? In the Waldorf? I don't think so. And, if they were packing up the chairs, they would have had someone would've taken the sign down too. Remember, he did say it had been called off in the morning. There's a reason why it's a 5-star hotel, and it's not for leaving extraneous wedding signs around.

Paper money does not last 6 years in circulation. It wears out and gets destroyed by the mint after about 18 months.

That French guy not remembering Kate Beckinsale? Kate Beckinsale!?! Are you kidding me? If I had lived for a few months with Kate Beckinsale, you bet your sweet a$$ I'd remember.

The skating rink where they were skating - Wollman Rink - is never, ever, that uncrowded. It's always packed.

As is Serendipity. There's lines out the door of that place at all times. Except when it's closed by the Board of Health. (And I know there was a scene on the DVD that showed them waiting in line. I'm just busting your hump now.)

Can someone explain something to me: why did she get the flier about Chelsea Piers and immediately need to go there, thinking that's where he'd be? That didn't make any sense and left me scratching my head.

And that little sh!t in the devil costume. Someone needed to smack him but good.

By the way, the trivia section is wrong about seeing stars in New York. I live here, you can see them. Especially since they were in the park, you could definitely see Cassiopeia. It's a fairly bright constellation.

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] beat0284 17 years ago

Ok, I can't explain away all of these (though I expect others will try, I'm just tired as I write this, so forigve any spelling errors aswell please).

For the money not lasting that long in circulation, thats true so long as the note is in constant circulation, as not all notes are. Some people (and I do this a surprising amount) can leave notes in the pockets of suits they don't wear very often or put it in a saving jar or so on and the note would stay out of circulation for ages before being reintroduced as it were to the public, just in time to end up in Saras hands.

As for the french guy not remembering SARA (not Kate, mind). Thats a matter of opinion or perspective. He might not find her as attractive as we do (and we do). He may even be gay, we don't know. And I could ask you if you remember some hot girl you knew for only a little while several years ago, but the question would be a little redundant (if you remember then you prove me wrong, if you don't then I can't be proved right :-P Catch 22).

And the last one I'll mention, Serendipity being crowded, ok, before I say this, let me stress that I am British, have never been to Serendipity or indeed New York so I'm just guessing here, but is it possible that the cafe is very popular and often crowded NOW because it was featured in this film and has become a sort of a curiosity spot? Just a guess, if you knew it to be crowded pre-2001 then fair enough, I'll shut up :-P

[–] jgroub 17 years ago

Your last comment first - you may be right about that. My only "experience" with Serendipity is leaving work at 8, 9 or even 10 pm (sucks, I know) within the past year or so and seeing crowds there all the time. Pre-2001, I don't know. Someone else will have to answer that one.

Although you may be right about the French guy being gay, I am sorry - you don't forget Kate Beckinsale, or even someone who looks exactly like Kate, like our heroine Sara. She is something else. I was just watching Pearl Harbor last night and woof, she was amazing. Yes, I have a crush, sue me. But, you're right, good point about remembering a hot girl's last name. After college I lived with a roommate I found through yes, a roommate service. My roommate had a buddy who had a totally hot girlfriend, and the two of them would come over and hang out all the time. Statuesque, creamy skin, someone you give up your left nut just to know. I can't remember her first or last name, proving your point completely.

Good point about money being out of circulation like that. Yup, that happens where you put money in a suit or in pants you don't wear.

Since you're doing so well, answer me on the deal with "Sara Thomas" not being a common name so that they could find her. Or is that just movie magic that I should ignore? (:-)

I asked the doctor to take your picture so I can look at you from inside as well.

[–] dc2009 17 years ago

Let me handle the name thing then:
you forget the fact that they not only get Sara's full name, but also her former phone number, which would help to find her.

[–] gentlgodis 17 years ago

Its called suspension of reality. Thats what your suppose to when watching movies. Pretend as though the event that are unrealistic are actually realistic that way you enjoy the movie. If ever movie was realistic a lot of movies wouldn't be made or would be quite dull.

[–] dimm_lite 16 years ago

decent movie but i was thinking at the beginning when they enter the lift and then Sara/Kate waits on the 23rd floor she should be able to see where the other lift is at... So why not wait till the lift reaches the 23rd floor eh. As long as the lift has not reached her floor she should've hoped that Jonathan could get off on the 23rd floor :P

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..I'm fine with both nudity and violence

[–] roboh-1 15 years ago

Wouldn't she assume that he was trying to cheat by visiting every floor?

[–] lishol7-1 14 years ago

Wouldn't she assume that he was trying to cheat by visiting every floor?

I would cheat, maybe, but that would defeat the concept of "fate" and "destiny".

[–] roboh-1 14 years ago

I was thinking he would wait at the ground floor. Eventually she would have to leave the building...

[–] beat0284 17 years ago

and hang on, come to think of it, I've just gone over the scene in my head and the french guy DID remember her. He said she was beautiful and remembered painting her. He only couldn't remember her surname (which is fair enough, I know hot girls NOW whose surnames I cant remember)

[–] kcolli11 17 years ago

Ya gota let go of the name thing. Haha, I don't think they did it on purpose, but I really don't care for characters in movies who have complicated uncommon names just for the sake of being "different."

The only point I was going to add onto that I don't believe the other person covered is the Chelsea Piers flier thing. The whole point behind the movie is that "serendipity" - that fate gives us hints along the way and it's how we use/interpret those hints that ultimately determind how happy we end up. You could ask the same question about why he chooses the floor in the elevator that he did. They were letting "serendipity" (or fate) guide them to each other and because it was meant to be, all of the clues they followed led them to each other. I know it's semi-corny, but that's the movie for ya.

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] pc94707 14 years ago

OK...I have one question - when they went to Sara's house, who was it they saw thru the window making love ? If it was Sara, it certainly wasn't Lars.
Sorry if I missed something that would explain this.

[–] eaglesfn29 14 years ago

It's Sara's sister and her man. Earlier in the movie when they are discussing honeymoon and touring plans they ask if they can stay there while they're gone, and Lars and Sara say it is alright.

[–] Bruce7 14 years ago

May have been Sara Lawson?

Can you fly this plane?
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious,and don't call me Shirley

[–] i_love_love8313 17 years ago

hey whatever i totally loved the movie lol....i get ur points though ... but heres my only problem wouldnt ppl like be calling those numbers off the book and money . . . like if i saw his number on my 5 dollar bill i'd call it lol . . . eh its a cute movie for what its worth

[–] King_Lamus 17 years ago

I can only answer to a couple of things; the rest will have to be "movie magic", just like you've previously mentioned.

First off, "Sara Thomas"? Could they possibly come up with a more whitebread name than that?

Why is the fact they're using a common name a bad thing? They could have come up with something more "whitebread" - Jennifer Williams?, Mary Taylor? - but I'm sure they chose a common name because they wanted to make the characters more accessible to common people? Or maybe they just didn't feel like spending their creativity on the names.

Paper money does not last 6 years in circulation. It wears out and gets destroyed by the mint after about 18 months.

You may want to edit that comment to most paper money doesn't last ... 18 months. I currently have paper money that was made longer than 18 months ago. Since I haven't been in the U.S. in almost three years and probably won't be for quite a few more, that money probably won't be burned by the mint until it's well past it's seventh birthday. There's plenty of cash that doesn't follow your rule, but most of it does. That's why it's serendipity - the money they wrote on was meant to be around that long.

Or something.

That French guy not remembering Kate Beckinsale? Kate Beckinsale!?! Are you kidding me? If I had lived for a few months with Kate Beckinsale, you bet your sweet a$$ I'd remember.

He didn't live with Kate Beckinsale. He lived with "whitebread" Sara Thomas. Did you forget her already? :)

Anywho, that's my two cents. Just having fun, hope I made some sense. I don't always. Make sense, that is.

Or something.

p.s. I just read the whole thread, rather than the first post. I'm redundant. Oops.

[–] MusicLovePoetry 17 years ago

um hun paper money does last a LONG time so yeah...

[–] 17 years ago

[deleted]

[–] glassrose385 15 years ago

I agree with the other post on the numbers on the book and money. I'm pretty sure in real life some people would have called the numbers. My neighbor once had a part time job in a bookstore that had a used section and buy book program. She that usually if any personal information is in books such has phone numbers that are blacked out with a marker.

[–] Katrinkatina 14 years ago

Tv and movies often use "555" as the prefix for phone numbers - I heard "555" phone numbers don't exist so they are not giving out anyone's real phone number. The Sara thomas # starts with this prefix. Can' t remember j's #.

there is a song, however, with the phone number 867-5309, and I heard its popularity caused quite a headache for some folks.

[–] DrNordo 15 years ago

First off, "Sara Thomas"? Could they possibly come up with a more whitebread name than that? (Sarcasm.) How about Sara Tomashevsky? I mean, go to www.whitepages.com and type in Sara Thomas. There are 113 in California, 5 in SF alone! That's plain silly. (And I know she's English, and Tomashevsky doesn't quite fit, but you know what I mean.)

Logically, the more generic a name is the higher the possibility that someone would have that name and therefore the higher the possibility that this movie character would also have it. But seriously, who cares?

One guy picking up chairs after a busted wedding? In the Waldorf? I don't think so. And, if they were packing up the chairs, they would have had someone would've taken the sign down too. Remember, he did say it had been called off in the morning. There's a reason why it's a 5-star hotel, and it's not for leaving extraneous wedding signs around.

It was a pretty small wedding. Didn't really look like anything more than a one man job. And this bothered you?! Please, get a life.

Paper money does not last 6 years in circulation. It wears out and gets destroyed by the mint after about 18 months.

Not necessarily true. I have a $1 in my wallet right now that was minted in 2001.

That French guy not remembering Kate Beckinsale? Kate Beckinsale!?! Are you kidding me? If I had lived for a few months with Kate Beckinsale, you bet your sweet a$$ I'd remember.

He DID remember her. He did NOT remember her last name. That is not strange at all. She was a roommate. I have a beautiful roommate living with me right now, a dancer at one of the local strip clubs. Guess what? I don't know her last name!

The skating rink where they were skating - Wollman Rink - is never, ever, that uncrowded. It's always packed.

Quite possibly the most nit-picky thing ever.

As is Serendipity. There's lines out the door of that place at all times. Except when it's closed by the Board of Health. (And I know there was a scene on the DVD that showed them waiting in line. I'm just busting your hump now.)

See above.

Can someone explain something to me: why did she get the flier about Chelsea Piers and immediately need to go there, thinking that's where he'd be? That didn't make any sense and left me scratching my head.

Admittedly this confused me for a while too but I have the explanation. At the beginning of the movie Sara asks Jonathan what he wants for Christmas and he says golf clubs. Obviously he's a golfer and there is limited golfing available in Manhattan. Chelsea Piers would be an obvious possibility for where he could be.

Yeah...well, that's just like your opinion, man.

[–] Bruce7 14 years ago

'Admittedly this confused me for a while too but I have the explanation. At the beginning of the movie Sara asks Jonathan what he wants for Christmas and he says golf clubs. Obviously he's a golfer and there is limited golfing available in Manhattan. Chelsea Piers would be an obvious possibility for where he could be.'

And, in the mystique of serendipity, John gets wrapped up by the Dalmation, then after that scene Sara does as well.

Can you fly this plane?
Surely you can't be serious.
I am serious,and don't call me Shirley