Serendipity

( 33 )

Overview

After the long-delayed Town and Country, director Peter Chelsom turns in his second 2001 effort with this love-at-first-sight romantic comedy that revolves around fate, destiny, and chance. Jonathan John Cusack and Sara Kate Beckinsale are two New Yorkers already in relationships when they meet one another, each reaching for the last pair of cashmere gloves at a department store. Over coffee, they strike up an intimate conversation, and Jonathan thinks they should see each other again. Unconvinced, Sara arranges ...
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More About This Product

Overview

After the long-delayed Town and Country, director Peter Chelsom turns in his second 2001 effort with this love-at-first-sight romantic comedy that revolves around fate, destiny, and chance. Jonathan John Cusack and Sara Kate Beckinsale are two New Yorkers already in relationships when they meet one another, each reaching for the last pair of cashmere gloves at a department store. Over coffee, they strike up an intimate conversation, and Jonathan thinks they should see each other again. Unconvinced, Sara arranges an elaborate series of "fate" games; if they're meant to be together, she reasons, she and Jonathan will receive some sort of sign in the future. Flash forward several years, and the two are at opposite ends of the country -- Jonathan in New York and Sara in San Francisco, both engaged to be married. Still, neither can shake the memory of their chance encounter, and they both enlist their best friends Molly Shannon and Jeremy Piven to help them find their true love again. Serendipity had its Gala World Premiere at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival.
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Editorial Reviews

Barnes & Noble - Ed Hulse
Is there really such a thing as a benevolent destiny that will eventually reunite true soul mates separated by time and distance? That’s the question posed by Serendipity, a whimsical romance graced with ingenious scripting and charming performances. It begins at Christmastime in a New York department store, where John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale meet by chance -- while shopping for their "significant others" -- and are immediately attracted to each other. After spending a romantic evening together, they reluctantly part, secretly hoping that fate will reunite them some day. Director Peter Chelsom Town and Country devotes the remainder of the film to rendering believable a series of remarkable coincidences intended to facilitate that reunion. Cusack and Beckinsale are appropriately appealing as the would-be lovers, although they’re very nearly overshadowed by Jeremy Piven and Molly Shannon, who are hilarious as their respective best friends. Eugene Levy contributes a scene-stealing turn as a prissy store clerk, but perhaps the best supporting character is New York City, reasserting itself as the nation’s most romantic city. Serendipity sometimes strains credulity with its outrageous plot contrivances, but this bewitching little film celebrates everything that’s kinder and gentler about us -- and for that alone deserves to be seen again and again. The DVD offers Chelsom commentary on both the full-length movie and deleted scenes; other bonus features include an Encore "On the Set" documentary, the director’s own "production diary," storyboard-to-film comparisons, and an extensive photo gallery.
All Movie Guide - Michael Hastings
A thoroughly routine romantic comedy rendered more aggravating by its incessant "near-miss" plot structure, Serendipity gets its few pleasures not from its leads but from its often-inspired supporting cast. Once again making a bid for romantic star status, John Cusack proves that he's only as good as the material he's provided; the movie rarely allows him to show the loose, natural persona he exhibited in 2000's High Fidelity. The same can be said for Kate Beckinsale, a talented young actress whose spirit seems dulled as her character is forced to leap through numerous logistic hurtles, all in the name of "chance." Serendipity's main problem isn't with the actors but their script: Since they're allowed such a brief sliver of time together at the movie's outset, it's hard for the audience to have a vested interest in whether or not they end up together at the end. Along the way, however, we're treated to a host of ancillary laughs, the best of which come from John Corbett as a trippy, dippy world-music star, and the ever-reliable Eugene Levy as an anal-retentive store clerk.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 4/15/2011
  • UPC: 031398137924
  • Original Release: 2001
  • Source: Miramax Lionsgate
  • Region Code: 1
  • Presentation: Wide Screen
  • Language: English
  • Format: DVD
  • Sales rank: 256

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
John Cusack Jonathan Trager
Kate Beckinsale Sara Thomas
Molly Shannon Eve
Jeremy Piven Dean Kansky
John Corbett Lars Hammond
Bridget Moynahan Halley Buchanan
Eugene Levy Bloomingdale's salesman
Kate Blumberg Courtney
Technical Credits
Peter Chelsom Director
Peter Abrams Producer
John DeBorman Cinematographer
Marie-Sylvie Deveau Costumes/Costume Designer
Simon Fields Producer
Julie Goldstein Executive Producer
Christopher Greenbury Editor
Caroline Hanania Production Designer
Amy J. Kaufman Co-producer
Marc Klein Screenwriter
Robert L. Levy Producer
Mike Smith Sound Mixer
Bob Osher Executive Producer
Andrew Panay Co-producer
Alan Silvestri Score Composer
Amy Slotnick Executive Producer
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Scene Index

Side #1 --
1. Opening Credits: "A Fortunate Accident" [2:45]
2. Astrological Freckles [2:45]
3. Forwarding Fate [5:44]
4. A Toast to Soulmates [3:23]
5. Magical Elements [5:51]
6. Searching for Sara [:17]
7. "Mr. Good-Enough-for-Right-Now" [:44]
8. Good Salesmanship [:44]
9. "One Last Fling" [3:39]
10. Tracking Down Destiny [4:03]
11. Signs and Clues [5:40]
12. The Groom's Gift [3:50]
13. "Everything Happens for a Reason" [3:15]
14. "Is It Over?" [3:39]
15. "An Exquisite, Sublime Plan" [6:32]
16. End Credits [9:53]
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Menu

Side #1 --
   Play Movie
   Bonus Material
      Deleted Scenes
         Original Bloomingdale's Opening
         Johnathan Gets Cubed
         The First Kiss
         Time Marches On
         Is This Garfinkles Department Store?
         Play All
      Still Gallery
      Feature Commentary With Director Peter Chelsom
         View the Film With Audio Commentary by Director Peter Chelsom: On
         View the Film With Audio Commentary by Director Peter Chelsom: Off
      Storyboard Comparison
      Theatrical Trailer
      Director Peter Chelsom's On Set Diary
      Starz/Encore "On the Set"
   Set Up
      Spoken Languages
         English
         French
      Captions and Subtitles
         English for the Hearing Impaired
         Spanish
         Subtitles: None
   Scene Selection
   Sneak Peeks
      Serendipity Soundtrack
      Soapnet Promo
      Bounce
      About Adam
      Bridget Jones's Diary
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 33 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(24)

4 Star

(5)

3 Star

(3)

2 Star

(1)

1 Star

(0)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 33 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    My favorite!!

    This movie hasn't received a review in a while, so it's definitely due!! My cousin and I rented this thinking it'd be a cute little movie, but it was so much better than that!! This DVD really puts the idea of fate into the viewers minds, and the cast did a wonderful job of portraying their characters, you can feel the chemistry between John and Kate. This movie is one of those diamonds in the ruff, that seemed to sneak through amidst all of the "major" motion pictures. This is one of those movies that you can watch again and again, and still love it just as much as the first time you see it. It's an amazing movie, and my all-time favorite. Watch it at Christmas time too, as the movie is set in NY at the holiday season. Love, Love, Love it!!!!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Adorable Movie!

    I enjoyed this movie immensely. I watched it during a period in time that, I was very depressed. I was so drawn into John Cusack's character, along with Jeremy Piven, I forgot what was going on with me. I truly enjoyed it.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    it deserves more than 5 stars

    Perfect story, perfect cast, perfect director that make this film deserves more than 5 stars rated. this is the best movie i've ever watch.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted December 11, 2012

    when i first watched this movie,it was our lunch break and so i

    when i first watched this movie,it was our lunch break and so i dont have the time to finish it,from then on,
    i kept on searching this movie in the video rental outlets that we have in the neighborhood but its always out of stock.
    I never stopped trying to look for this movie coz i feel that i should really need to watch it coz im a believer of fate and destiny.When i got the chance to watch it again,oh my gosh,i cant describe the happiness I had.This movie is really worth watching over and over again,this is not just an ordinary movie but there is a moral lesson that we can depict especially for us girls,"if we really like/love a man ,we just have to wait patiently,we dont need to do the first move,then if its our destiny to meet the guy again after letting him feel unwanted,he will  find a way to look for us again.Remember,men is always the hunter....


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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    So lovely...

    This movie is so sweet and so funny and so sad and so lovely. I really like it, it has great acting and a great story. I always look at $5 bills now!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Sweet, old fashioned romance.........

    I just love this movie. I can totally identify with John Cusack and how he felt at the beginning of the movie. There have been times when something would happen. I'd meet this girl, love spending time with her, and then she's gone. I'm left wondering, did I just let ''the one'' get away? Should I have been more aggressive. For John Cusack to have feel that he ''lost her'' at the end, and then miraciously he gets the girl and all his dreams come true, it's just wonderful. From the time that he finds the book with her name and number, and the time she finds the $5 with his name and number, I cry right until the end. It is the only movie that gets me to cry every single time! This has most certainly replaced Sleepless in Seattle as my favorite movie!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    SERENDIPITY !!!!!!

    IT WAS A GREAT MOVIE KATE IS PRETTY AND JOHN CUSCAK YOU ROCK AND THE WHOLE CAST WAS FUNNY AND SO ROMANTIC AND IT IS A MUST SEE MOVIE

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Serendipitatious, Serendipiosity, Serendipity!

    When I first heard of this film & it had been given 2 stars in a TV guide review, I decided not to see it. But when I discovered that John Corbett was in it, I had to watch it. This is one of the best romantic films ever. Its just so sweet, its a classic, cliche storyline but im a sucker for them. This film does get you wondering & thinking that fate IS behind everything, you just have to believe in it. If they didn't lighten it up with a bit of humour I would've started crying. I must say, I have fallen for John Cusack's charm, wit, sweetness & good looks! If you haven't seen this film I suggest you see it, you don't know what you're missing!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Great Movie!!

    It's a must-see movie.. It a great love story & it comes to show that dreams can really come true!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Awesome!

    This is one of our favorite movies of all time! Even the kids love it.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Serendipity

    A fantastic movie. Kate and John were amazing in this flim.(kate is gorgeous) you have to watch it at least twice to capture the whole movie.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    CUSACK! CUSACK! CUSACK!

    another great cusack flick - a must see. CUSACK! CUSACK! CUSACK!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Absoloutly Fabulous

    Extremely enchanting. Beckinsale was breathtaking. The film also had a slight bit of humour too.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    SERENDIPITY!! = )

    i loved watching serendipity! i would watch it over and over again. i like how destiny can bring two people together and this movie is awesome at it, so is Sliding Doors. Watch Serendipity if you haven't already!! it's AWESOME!!

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Kate is wonderful!!!

    Enter two of the most witty and charming actors in Hollywood (Kate is also beautiful I might add!), and you have one of the funniest romantic comedies in recent times.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted October 26, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 5, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted December 2, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted November 27, 2008

    No text was provided for this review.

  • Anonymous

    Posted January 12, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 33 Customer Reviews