茶碗蒸

Thanks to one of my lovely flatmates, I had an opportunity to indulge in one of the funniest chick-flicks I had ever seen a couple of Saturday nights ago (not that this says much since I haven't actually seen that many!)... and that was "Letters to Juliet", directed by Gary Winick.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting all that much when I stepped into the dim lights of the cinema in Hoyts. Thinking it was just going to be "another one of those girly movies" - which was soon confirmed by the opening credits consisting of a series of classical paintings portraying lovers kissing - I was prepared to spend the study break daydreaming with my large bag of sour cream and chives chips. But from the part where the protagonist Sophie went on a pre-honeymoon to Italy with her food-obsessed fiancé Victor, I simply could not stop the giggles that kept bubbling up my throat. And when that giggle eventually turned into howls of laughter - I knew I had somehow succumbed to the spell the director of the movie was trying to cast onto the audience.

I guess I'd better start with the plot first - don't worry, I'll ensure I don't spill some of the juicy details which some people just simply can't resist blurting out XD. As I've mentioned before, Sopie is an American girl (blonde too, mind you - what's with this connection between chick-flicks and blonde hair?) who decides to travel to Italy with her fiancé in search of a romantic and memorable holiday. There she finds an unanswered "letter to Juliet" dated fifty years ago - hidden amongst thousands of messages and queries left at the fictional lover's Verona courtyard, which are usually answered by a group of women who named themselves the "Secretaries of Juliet". Hence she goes on a quest to help reunite the lovers in the letter - while making many emotional discoveries of her own along the way.

One of the most successful aspects of this film was probably its organization of dialogue. The light, humorous lines not only set up a sunny and cheerful atmosphere, but also portrayed the characters who brought them to life. There was the endlessly amusing verbal sparring between Sophie and Charlie, of course – but also the hilarious interactions between Charlie and his grandmother (Claire) which emphasized the depth of their bond as well as their rather playful and relaxed attitudes toward one another. I admit I was quite charmed by many lines spoken by both Charlie and Claire and was sent into fits of laughter on multiple occasions because of their rather ingenious comebacks. Their fantastic British accent made the jokes all the funnier too, I think XD

The beautiful scenes of Verona, Siena and Tuscany were also a lovely bonus in the movie. They were stunningly shot and the country views rolling by on the screen were simply breathtaking – ahh how it makes me want to go and see Italy! The crisp greenery, honey-coloured sunlight, and classy buildings in the cities were perfectly captured, and helped portray the golden hue of warmth and sentiment in the storyline.

I also found the letter Sophie wrote as a reply to Claire quite touching. It was thoughtful, filled with gentle encouragement and glimmering with hope. Although – I suppose in a way – a very typical Hollywood-style creation…

“What ,and if. Those two words standing alone are basically harmless, but link them together and those two words possess great power. What if?

What if I didn't listen to all the messages, signs and ignored my destiny? What if I had not recognized true love when it came to me? What if? What are your what ifs?

Transition time is a time when we wonder about all the roads not taken. For some dreams and ideas the time has past and we must gently set them aside. Other dreams are still attainable if you have the courage to try. The choice is yours...”

There was also a very interesting point Jenn made the other day when we were discussing the movie over lunch – and that was how Claire was so fearless and courageous when she was advising other people in their relationships, yet when it came to facing her own love life she was overcome with a sudden panic and fear. And how true that emotion often is in real life! It was a very intriguing message indeed… and a fascinating reflection of reality in a subtle sort of way.

However, being a romantic comedy – moments of cliché were unavoidable and some people would surely roll their eyes at those. Yet I thought the film lovely on many levels and a definitely worthwhile one to rent out and enjoy on a lazy Sunday afternoon – when just a dose of sweetness is all you need to light up the day.

And... guess what? I only realised that I had finished the whole bag of chips at the end of the movie, so the movie must have been reasonably good! XD