Imagine Me & You
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Movie Reviews of Imagine Me & You
Movie Review: A passion not be denied
Summary: 5 Stars
Does it begin with that first inescapable glance or is it born of deepest friendship? Love that is. Ol Parker`s delightfully charming `Imagine Me & you,` explores the age-old question: Do we control our hearts or they us? BBC Films has a knack for producing well-crafted dramas and comedies with very un-Hollywood-like budgets. `Imagine` is no exception.
Two great leads light up the screen in this unique romantic comedy. The irrepressible Piper Perabo plays Rachel, the twenty-something who, as the film opens, is frantically stressing over her wedding. She and fiancé, Heck (Matthew Goode) are finally tying the knot after years of best friendship. While being escorted down the aisle, Rachel catches a glimpse of Luce (the other great lead, Lena Headey), the wedding`s florist.
From then on, Rachel struggles to control the uncontrollable as one relationship begins to disintegrate while another takes seed. Heck and Rach start off their marriage in typical newlywed bliss, entertaining friends and fitting out their new home. Yet, Rach appears oddly preoccupied. Confused, Rach is besieged by returning thoughts of Luce. A testament to Parker`s witty and engaging writing, Rachel`s lines are studded with humorous innuendoes, all of which pertain to Luce. While she often declares her affections for Heck, Rach can`t seem to forget Luce.
All the while, she cooks up a plan to set up their player friend, Coop (Darren Boyd) with Luce. During the date, Luce informs Heck that she is attracted to women and that Coop is definitely out of the picture. When Rach learns the truth, her curiosity only intensifies. Luce, on the other hand, tries to ignore her equally strong interest in Rachel. Fearing that such attraction would not only end in heartbreak, but would destroy a marriage as well, she vows to move on. Yet, fate has already spun its web and the two would-be lovers head for a collision. After a `first date` of sorts at a football match, the two all but narrowly avoid a first kiss. Confused and ashamed, Rachel returns home ready to tell Heck about her adulterous inclinations.
Following Rach`s confession, the film hurtles towards the inevitable. During Rachel`s birthday dinner, Heck confronts Rachel and vows to let her go. Heck`s acquiescence comes off too easy, but Goode`s performance helps us suspend our disbelief. Likewise, Rachel`s subsequent `coming out` to her family is too sweet and conflict-free to be plausible. Yet, Anthony Head`s performance as Rachel`s unassuming and hen-picked father saves the scene. The ending, while charming and fun, is just plain absurd. Yet, this film isn`t out to show how things usually end up. Instead, it`s one of those necessary happy-end films that make you glad you saw it. And in its inimitable BBC way, it tackles an age-old question with wit and insight.
`Imagine` jumps along at quick rate and it`s easy to miss things. The story line is spare at best and develops at times unnaturally. For `Imagine` to work for you, you have to accept the film`s basic premise, that love can and does ignite from a mere glance. Otherwise, the film can seem a bit far-fetched. Also, Parker throws in a few awkward, preachy moments about unjust marriage laws. Yet, these minor bumps aside, `Imagine Me and You` is a delightful sleeper sure to leave you smiling in the end.
Movie Review: An unconventional but undeniably sweet romantic comedy
Summary: 5 Stars
It goes without saying - or maybe it doesn't - that this is not your typical romantic comedy. Most people fall in love and then get married, but Imagine Me & You starts with a wedding and ends with true love. And most married men worry about their wives leaving them for another man - not another woman. Truly, though, this film should not be pigeon-holed as one of "those" films, for it's a really sweet story that says more about true love than most of today's raunchy romances. Love and sex are not the same thing, and it's always nice to find a film that reflects that. Don't go into this film expecting to see two lovely ladies rolling around naked in the hay, as there's no nudity whatsoever. This is a sweet film, not a prurient one.
I love Piper Perabo, especially now that's she proven she's just as talented as she is gorgeous. She's an unusual choice for the leading role in this film, an American actress surrounded by an impressive British cast, but her accent feels natural and makes for a most comfortable fit. Her character, Rachel, seems the picture of happiness as she marries Heck (Matthew Goode), a true good guy who has long been her best friend. Walking down the aisle, however, she happens to exchange a life-changing glance with Luce (Lena Headey), the florist who supplied the flowers for the wedding. She soon strikes up a friendship with Luce, initially trying to set her up with one of Heck's friends. Even before she learns that Luce is gay, though, she finds herself thinking about her more and more. Never having believed in love at first sight, she doesn't know how to react to these strange but powerful new feelings she is experiencing for the first time. Naturally, a distance seems to develop between her and Heck, eventually forcing her to choose between happiness and stability with Heck or true love with Luce. Luce, for her part, is also torn; as much as she loves Rachel, she certainly has no desire to break up a marriage.
As the movie progressed, I really wasn't sure how this story would end, knowing that one side of this lovers' triangle was destined for unhappiness. The filmmakers delivered a better and more meaningful conclusion than I ever expected, however - even though it does go a little too far in trying to make everyone happy.
The entire cast is excellent, contributing a couple of meaningful subplots, but special mention must be made of two individuals. Boo Jackson is utterly charming as Rachel's young sister H (there's a great explanation for her name), while Anthony Head (Giles of Buffy fame) turns in a memorable performance as Rachel's long-suffering father, whose tendency to mumble and dodder around seems directly related to his less than perfect marriage to Rachel's demanding mother. Both Jackson and Head really step up to make the film's sentimental conclusion particularly effective.
Imagine You & Me is a disarmingly sweet and entertaining romantic comedy. The nature of the romance between Rachel and Luce does much to explain the film's R rating, but this same-sex romance is in no way "mature" in terms of its content. When you come right down to it, the fact that Rachel and Luce are both women is almost incidental. This is, purely and simply, a wonderful love story.
Movie Review: In SO MUCH LOVE with this.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is, absolutly, the perfect lesbian date movie. I've seen a lot of Lesbian cinema. As a same-sex loving person you tend to seek out those movies that reflect you, nothing unusual. But even the simpliest of the Lesbian films - even those on the light side - tend to reflect some formulatic approaches. Like the husband is a jerk or dead weight. To the contrary... in imagine, me & You ...you LOVE Heck to death and can imagine why his wife has such a hard time following her heart. The most shocking part of the whole film is that you as an audience not only feel sorry for Heck ending up getting the short end of the stick, you indeed fall in love with him yourself. Not only that, I think the reactions to the fact Luce is a lesbian are refreshingly neutral. Treated more as a fact of her life than some disease. In fact, Beyond Rach's Mum reaction to it, there's no big "family" backlash purely on the idea of Luce (and possibly Rach) being a lesbian. I absolutly adored the fact that 85% of the movie is just about "What if on the day you were to marry your best friend, you met someone who stole your heart without even trying?" Only about 15% of the movie deals with the shock of that being someone of the same gender. And did I mention you freakin' love almost EVERY character in this movie. How many movies can sell you on damn near everyone... especially the enchanting little girl that plays "H" (Rach's younger sister). And Giles, GILES from Buffy the Vampire Slayer playing her dad just gave me all kinds of fangirl joy.
After seeing Piper Parabo as the tragic young lover who loses the girl in "Lost & Delirious" it was nice to see her get her woman in this film, but it's hard to even connect this sweet English girl (Rachel) to the hardened and very lost Paulie in "Lost and Delirious" which REALLY makes me respect her as an actress. And yes, I TOTTALLY bought her British accent.... I don't know why people thought it sounded fake.
Imagine Me & You is perhaps the first Lesbian Romantic comedy I've seen that equals up to some of the best of the same in the Heterosexual arena. Definatly the best "feel good" Lesbian movie I've ever seen. It didn't even need a sex scene to sell itself to the audience as a story of genuine love. And in this sex-charged (sex=love, except it doesn't) world it's nice to see a story rise above the need to sell the story based on erotic moments, minus a really funny trip to the Video store - one of the best scenes in the film in my opinion.
Movie Review: Delightful romantic comedy... Infectiously upbeat songs... Lovely DVD
Summary: 5 Stars
I loved this delightful little movie. Despite its girl-loves-girl plot, it shouldn't be pigeonholed as a lesbian romance. This is romantic comedy at its finest and can be appreciated by anyone, irrespective of orientation.
The film is an anglo-american-german co-production, filmed in England with a largely English cast. Piper Perabo does a good job with a creditable English accent which apart from an occasional slip, is largely believable. Rachel (Piper Perabo) is struck by a case of love-at-first-sight on her wedding day. Unfortunately it isn't for her handsome, sweet, kindly, husband-to-be but the female florist who's been hired for the occasion. Confused at first, she befriends the florist who does understand her feelings and reciprocates whole-heartedly. As she is now married, how can things end happily? In a way, they don't. Part of me was sad at how things turned out because these were all such lovable characters. But the producers make sure that no heart remains broken for too long. And like all rom-coms, this pedals crazily towards a happy ending, cheered on by the Turtles' "Happy Together."
Aside from Piper Perabo, everyone else is British. Look out for the supporting roles and cameos by various British actors. Lena Headey (The Brothers Grimm) plays Luce the florist, Matthew Goode (Match Point) is the husband, Anthony Head (Buffy) is Rachel's Dad, Celia Imrie (Calendar Girls / Love in a Cold Climate) is Rachel's Mom, Ben Miles (Coupling) is Heck's work buddy, Eva Birthistle (A Fond Kiss) is Luce's lesbian friend.
Like most rom-coms, there is extensive use of pop songs. The main one here is The Turtles' upbeat and infectious "Happy Together" whose first lines contribute the title of the movie. Other songs include, Dusty Springfield's "The Look of Love", Kelly Marie's "Feels Like I'm In Love" and Ottawans' D.I.S.C.O.
The double-sided DVD contains the original 2.35:1 widescreen version (anamorphic) on Side B and a Pan-&-Scan version on Side A. Picture quality is perfectly lovely, pretty much what you'd expect of a film made in 2005. The DD 5.1 track sounds equally fine with crystal clear dialogue mostly front-centered and lovely music reproduction. The Extras are split onto both sides of the disc. A Q&A session with director and cast is found on Side A while there are about 10mins worth of deleted and extended scenes with optional director's commentary as well as a "Personal statement by director Ol Parker" on Side B.
Movie Review: A MUST SEE!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This movie was one of the few good "gay oriented" films yet. It's about a woman finding a unlikely love and finding out new things about herself. The story is delightfully well thoughtout. It's humorous and well acted. The story tries to explain TRUE love is where you least expect it and sometimes at the most unexpected times. I guarantee this will be a movie you will want to buy for your personal collection.
*I have read a review here that was from a "bisexual" woman's point of view, although she has a right to her opinion, I have a right to disagree. I think she missed the point of the movie or wasn't paying very close attention. She said she thought it to possibly be post wedding gitters, but the connection was made before Piper(main character) even said "I do". She said Piper should have tried to work on her relationship with her husband since they had so many years together, but that's exactly what she did, her husband left her. She wanted to work it out for those exact reasons. There was a point made in the movie about an unstoppable force and that was exactly what they had between them. Piper did not take the easy way out, she stayed with her husband, her husband again was the one who left her. You also mentioned their was no passion between the women. I really believe you were watching a different movie. I would suggest maybe watching it again and not thinking about it as a bisexual woman, but just as a woman. I think the fact that you are portraying Piper as a bisexual woman is making it difficult for you to see that bisexuality had nothing to do with it. *