While millions of girls across America are still dying in anticipation to see more of Robert Pattinson, I have already seen his new role with Summit Entertainment in Remember Me, and I left with a surprised smirk on my face. He is better than I expected, and I say that after having recently seen Little Ashes, where I found his acting solid but his Spanish accent inconsistent. In this emotional tale about people's effects on others' lives, there is not one actor who does not deserve serious accolade.
Tyler (Pattinson) resents his workaholic father (Brosnan) since his older brother committed suicide, and he adores and overprotects his younger, similar younger sister (Jerins). Acting out gets him into a bit of trouble, which leads him to meet Police Sgt. Neil Craig (Cooper), who, coincidentally, is the father of a classmate. Tyler cleverly introduces himself to the sergeant's daughter Ally (de Ravin). As Tyler and Ally get to know each other, her spirit seems to intoxicate him, and they quickly fall in love. But we all know life"”even in the movies"”isn't that simple. Ally must eventually find out that her dad and boyfriend have previously met, and just how she came into the picture.
I must say that it was a pleasure to see Robert Pattinson in a real life, mortal role. Watching his face bleed as it was pounded into pavement was an image I had not pictured prior to this film due to his superhuman strength and power. It turns out that he does an even better job at being a real, flawed human being than he does at being a beautiful and god-like immortal (go figure). I think quick wit and sarcastic humor come naturally to him, but even beyond that, Pattinson does a fantastic job playing the angry, bitter, hurt son. He is assisted by Brosnan, who is remarkable as the easy-to-hate, detached father. Emilie de Ravin was a pleasure to watch, and I am not a "˜Lost' fan, so this was a first for me. But Ruby Jerins is the show stealer as Tyler's little sister. As far as acting goes, this young one nails her quiet intelligence mixed with pre-pubescent insecurity. She not only holds her own as she shares her screen time with Pattinson, selling a very believable bond, but she manages to evoke enough reality and emotion to really intensify one of the film's integral relationships. I was in awe throughout the film.
I will say that this is a romantic drama, which makes it a character-focused film, and the story is a bit slow in the beginning. Pattinson fans will be fine since he is almost always on the screen, as will those who enjoy the relationship building, but that process takes time"”maybe too much. The acting is strong from the entire cast, and the characters are believable and relatable. Just hang in there through the drag because the ending makes the movie worth the wait. Both surprising but fitting, the story's conclusion made me rethink my own life's events and their impact, which raised my grade from a low B to a B+ all in a matter of minutes. Remember Me is not a film for everyone, but it was very well executed, and I highly recommend it.
