Remember Me

Film: Remember Me
Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper
Genre: Romance
Direction: Allen Coulter
Duration: 1 hour 53 minutes
Critic's Rating: 3.5 stars


Story: Robert Pattinson is a rebellious NYU student who's walked out on his rich daddy (Pierce Brosnan) after a family tragedy. He is able to connect only with his younger sister and his roomie and generally drifts through his daily routine, until he meets Emilie de Ravin, another grief-stricken girl who has her own ways with coping with personal loss. Romance blooms, albeit in a bitter sweet way....

Movie Review: Robert Pattinson fans, don't miss this one. The vampire truly comes of age and showcases a bite that doesn't necessarily spring from his fangs. No, this time, it's his tingling portrait of an angst-ridden young New Yorker, who prefers to slum it out rather than live with his rich, successful, yet insensitive dad (Pierce Brosnan) which creates an impact. Gone is Edward Cullen's mere beefcake appeal which is replaced by a moody, enigmatic charisma of a twenty-one year old who's still looking for meaning and motive to anchor his life.

And strangely, he shares a better chemistry here with co-brooder Emilie de Ravin than he does with his human girl friend (Kristen Stewart) in the Twilight series. What begins as a revenge relationship -- Pattinson befriends de Ravin to avenge her cop dad (Chris Cooper) -- gradually transmutes into something infinitely tender and gossamer-like. The duo discover each other slowly, through sundry strange encounters, in the dimly lit streets of New York and the crummy interiors of Pattinson's student apartment. It doesn't take them long to realise that grief and a troubled past isn't the only thing that binds them together. Gradually, they end up soothing out the rough edges in each others lives and rebuild broken bridges with estranged family. If Pattinson manages to re-connect with his abrasive lawyer dad, then de Ravin returns to her overbearing dad (Chris Cooper) who hasn't been able to forgive himself for having failed to protect his wife from a bunch of subway muggers. And then comes the climax!

Set against 9/11, Remember Me is an immensely watchable romance, even as it paints a touching picture of loss and redemption against a violence-scarred backdrop. Raise a toast for RPatz.