Remember Me (2010) ***1/2

There are many things that define life. Our triumphs dictate who we are. Our tragedies lead us to who we have become. Remember Me follows the lives of two people who have gotten where they are based on the tragedies that have defined their lives. Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin) watched as her mother was gunned down on a subway train, leading to a philosophy of why wait because your life could be snuffed out any minute. Tyler Hawkins (Robert Pattinson) has fallen into a malaise since the suicide of his brother years earlier, coupled with the fact that the incident has shredded what he had as a family. The cards that life has dealt have also had a great impact on each person’s father with Ally’s father (Chris Cooper) being over protective to the ninth power, while Tyler’s father (Pierce Brosnan) is distant and withdrawn from his family, tied to his work. Eventually as the two fall in love they have to deal not only with their own demons, but the lingering effects from their families.

Remember Me is about trying to take that second step past whatever haunts you. Life goes on and the past is simply in the past. We just need to find a way to deal with it. The film gets across its main point in this respect, but some of the plot points seem a little choppy when taken in by the viewer. Instead of creating a poignant meeting between the two leads we get a situation that’s more like 10 Things I Hate About You instead of a drama such as this. Director Allen Coulter tends to get a little to artsy in his presentation at times, taking long looks at inanimate objects. Some directors can get away with this and some just look like they’re ripping off those other directors. Coulter looks like the ripper.

Once again, any cast with Chris Cooper is a good cast and this film is not the exception. There are actually a few surprises in this film from an acting standpoint. de Ravin possesses the innocent melancholy of her character. Not a depressed person, just a free spirit that understands the value of life. Pierce Brosnan actually pulls off a New York businessman in this film, accent and all. The thing is that you still see him as James Bond. Hopefully the day will come when he can pull a Connery and get a role that pulls him from the tentacles of 007. The true standout in this film is Robert Pattinson. I know that I’ve been bashing his ability based on his role in the Twilight films, but have now come to one conclusion- you can’t polish a turd, Beavis. Pattinson is obviously a better actor than Twilight is a movie. This film proves that point by giving him the chance to be more than just a pale, depressed looking creature of the night.

This is one of those dramas that sort of ties everything together, not in a neat bow but in an ugly sailors knot. It’s not perfect by any means, but it gets the same job done.