Remember Me *1/2

PG-13, 113m., 2010

Cast: Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper, and Pierce Brosnan

Directed by Allen Coulter

Screenplay by William Fetters

Film Review

by Jesse Prado

jesse@moviehoppingisnotacrime.com

Remember Me stands alone as the all too familiar conflict-between-parents-and-children-plus-love-story movie, only this could’ve done without the love story. In a large way the love story is a waste of time.

Tyler Hawkins’ (Robert Pattinson) parents divorced after his brother commits suicide while Ally witnessed her mothers murder at the age of 10. When Tyler is arrested by Sergeant Neil Craig (Chris Cooper), his roommate Tate Ellington (Aidan Hall) suggests that he should date the Sergeant’s daughter, Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin), in order to get even. Time and Setting is key to understanding the title of this movie.

First time screen writer William Fetters never made a choice, however, here he had two: either family drama or romantic flick. In this case the mistake was deciding on both. This is supposed to be a story about living your life to the fullest.

Too bad that the majority of this life was wasted on Tyler and Ally’s relationship. All you want to see is Tyler lighten up a bit. Allen Coulters milks his pale emo expressions for slow cross pans and montages. In fact if there was an academy award for these two qualities Coulters would take the cake and eat it too. Every scene with Ally is too submissive, somewhat depressing, even relaxing, and you might find yourself falling asleep. 

The only things Tyler will be remembered for doing in this picture is breaking up a fight outside of a bar and smoking a cigarette in the World Trade Center when it is clearly not allowed. Not to mention you get to see him arrested and jailed twice, so you know he’s a bad ass. Other than that, all he does is throw childish temper tantrums.

Pierce Brosnan as Charles Hawkins is the delinquent father of Tyler and his kid sister Caroline Hawkins (Ruby Jerins) and a lot of explosive scenes take place at the expense of these supporting characters. Chris Cooper is consistent in his role of a broken over protective father to Ally Craig. They are introduced and well played, but it doesn’t go any further than that, which is disappointing because this had potential to be a newer American Beauty. If only Fetters and Coulters kept the focus here.

Fetters and Coulters had one too many ideas going. They explored each idea too unequally when they should’ve stuck to one. Fetters could’ve broken down this script into so many movies. One could’ve been about Ruby Jerin’s relationship with her father Pierce Brosnan, and Robert Pattinson could’ve still been her brother.

At the end Brosnan and Cooper did a great job, many key elements could have been stretched out, the love story was pointless, and all in all there isn't a whole lot to remember about Robert Pattinson's latest effort Remember Me.