Wicker Park
Tags: romantic, neo noir, flashback

Plot synopsis:
Matt Simon, a young advertising executive, returns to Chicago with his fiancée, Rebecca, after spending the last two years in New York. He bumps into his old friend Luke on the way into a meeting at a restaurant, in preparation for a business trip to China. Once inside, Matt thinks he overhears Lisa, the beautiful dancer he was in love with two years before who had vanished overnight. Unable to confront the woman he believes may be Lisa, he blows off the trip and instead embarks on an obsessive search for her, as the story of Matt and Lisa's romance unfolds in flashbacks.
A key card which the woman leaves at the restaurant leads Matt to a hotel, where he finds Lisa's silver compact and an article marked in a newspaper. He leaves a note for Lisa at the restaurant bar, borrows Luke's car and trails the man from the newspaper article to an apartment. There Matt discovers a note to Lisa under the door, with her key enclosed. The apartment is deserted, but he leaves Lisa a note himself, to meet him in Wicker Park, and keeps the key. An ecstatic Matt returns the car to Luke, who is furious because he has missed a date with his new girlfriend Alex. When Alex calls, Matt takes the blame and Luke is mollified.
The next day, after waiting in vain at Wicker Park, Matt goes back to the apartment and is caught by a woman who is also named Lisa. She says the apartment is hers, and she has a coat and red-soled shoes with a broken heel identical to Lisa's—shoes that came from Luke's shop, where Lisa first met Matt. She claims the man in the newspaper was stalking her, which is why she was at the hotel, and asks Matt to stay the night. They end up sleeping together, but after she leaves for work, he arranges to catch another flight to China and deliberately drops the apartment key down a grate. Flashbacks reveal that she is actually Alex, Lisa's old neighbor and friend, and an aspiring actress. We learn that Alex saw Matt and fell in love with him, but before she found the courage to speak to him he fell in love with Lisa. The man from the newspaper was stalking Lisa, and Alex agreed to swap apartments with her for a few days before Lisa left for a new job in London.
Luke persuades Matt to come with him that night to see Alex perform in Twelfth Night, before he leaves for China. She is unrecognizable in stage makeup, but panics after she sees him in the audience with Luke. Matt, having retrieved the key from the grate, returns to the apartment, feels the real Lisa's presence in spite of its emptiness, and spends the night. Alex sleeps with Luke that night, thinking Matt has left for China. In the morning, when Matt calls Luke, she answers the phone then drops it in a panic. She overhears Luke say Matt is at the apartment, and runs out to call him and meet him there. After she leaves, Lisa calls and asks Luke to tell Matt to meet her at 3:00, saying he'll know where. When Alex arrives at the apartment, Matt gives her another pair of red-soled shoes, Lisa's size, but they are too big. She realizes he suspects something, but Matt says he can exchange them and leaves. Alex then calls Luke and asks him to meet her at the restaurant.
Now suspicious, Matt follows "Lisa" (Alex), bumps into Luke, and follows him into the restaurant to finally meet Alex, the girl he's in love with. There she is, the second "Lisa." Her deception is revealed at last. Matt describes the girl he met as a liar, only thinking of herself. Alex protests that the girl (really herself, though Luke doesn't know it) must have been in love with Matt and wound up doing crazy things, things she never thought she could do. Flashbacks have revealed that two years ago, the same day that Matt asked Lisa to move in with him, Lisa was offered a last minute job touring with a show in Europe and had to jump on a plane. Lisa had given Alex a note to deliver to Matt, telling him she loves him and wants to live with him, along with a key to his apartment. Instead, Alex had kept the note and deleted all the messages Lisa had left for him on his answering machine. She even had told Lisa that she'd caught Matt in bed with another woman. Meanwhile, Matt had waited and waited at Wicker Park, where Lisa had promised to meet him. He had never learned why Lisa left, seemingly without a word. Matt is understandably angry as he and Alex argue about her motives. Still unaware that Alex is also "Lisa" number two, surprised by all the vehemence, Luke interrupts. He tells Matt that Lisa called and wants him to meet her at three o'clock before she leaves for London. At first, Matt's not sure where to meet. Luke goes to ask the bartender if he knows anything, and Alex uses the opportunity to give Matt Lisa's note. He realizes she's at their old trysting place, Wicker Park. As Alex begins to confess to Luke, Matt heads to the icy park, but he's too late. He then races to the airport, where he bumps into Rebecca, who has come to pick him up from the business trip to China that he never went on. He confesses that he still loves someone else and can't marry her, so she leaves. Lisa is nearby on the phone, listening to Alex apologize and admit what she has done. Matt sees Lisa through the crowd and comes up behind her. She senses he's there, turns to kiss him, and so they are reunited.

Review: And while some people might think the ending is the cliché of all clichés, I thought that, emotionally, it was absolutely right and the only possible way to end the film.I loved "Wicker Park" so much that I would willingly see it again, to get a better sense of how the story is put together, and just for the sheer pleasure of its look and sound.
Overall, a movie definitely worth renting.The film begins a bit slowly but picks up very nicely about 30 minutes into it.
The best part of this film was the clever way the story all comes together towards the end, including the flashback style which was very well done..
Well, I picked the film with a more attractive cast.After about the first thirty minutes of Wicker Park I was laughing because it seemed like this was the most absurd movie I had ever seen.
before going in to see the movie, i thought it would be just another romantic movie but i was soo wrong...the pace of the movie was just right...with flashbacks and character intro and perspectives on certain situation during the movie was quite interesting to see, plus how the story unravel very much satisfied me as it was totally unexpected...just amazing, plus the camera works/effects just so cool to watch...i must say this is not your usual love story and it sure will appeal to all movie-lovers and it's just amazing!.
Wicker Park Pretty much keeps you guessing the whole time.When your watching the movie you would think you have it all figured out you'll be surprised how wrong you could be.This is one of the best movies i've watched this year.
The most entertaining movie i've watched this year is most definitely this one it actually keeped me guessing up till the end.Even though this is to be a physcological thriller it is also funny here and there and is also kind of sad.With this said Wicker Park is definitely worth your money.This is not really a family movie but it's good and with Josh Hartnett in it even better.Don't wait to long to watch it,you'll like it..
wicker park is such a beautifully crafted movie..it's like an old masterpiece unfold in the modern times but has never lost is classic beauty.
love, in wicker park, is beautiful.and i wanted to truly thank everyone who has come up with the movie and especially the ones responsible for the song, the scientist..it was just the perfect song for the perfect movie.
This movie is one of the most perfect ones I've seen in the last few years.The setup is perfect, because you start to know what is happening but only see all of the information later on with scenes playing out with characters you never even noticed the first time around.
When i rented Wicker Park (WP) because of Harnette was in it, i didn't know that it was the remake of my most favorite french film, L'appartement which stars Monica Belucci and her husband, Vincent Cassel.Since the opening dialog, WP brings the spirit of L'appartement with it, so I cannot help comparing the two versions.
But Harnett fails to do so.And in this case Diane Krueger doesn't have the mysterious personality, smile nor face that could make Matt wonders where she had gone to for the past 2 years, while Monica Belucci's acting was definitely up the film.Something is missing in this film, and the actors seems like they don't understand about the plot either.
And since WP eliminates most of the substantial details from the movie, (such as the diary which Alex wrote that explains her actions, Lisa-Alex's friendship, and the suspense of Lisa's rich boy friend Danniel) it successfully turns WP into a puzzling unworthy romantic film with Hollywood ending.
Before I thought Josh Hartnett was as wooden as affleck and other such actors but he show here how good he can be, but Rose Byrne really made the film and I don't know where she's from or what she did before but she buts on one of the performances of the decade in this film.
monica bellucci replaced by diane krueger; josh hartnett playing vincent cassels character, sorry to much to bear.i wish people would just leave it and try to find another idea.
Then Wicker Park is a good movie for you to watch this weekend..
If you haven't seen the original french film that was the basis for this movie then please, please, watch that one instead.
And it seemed more believable and intriguing too thanks to the wonderful acting of Belucci and Cassel.Unfortunately, Josh Hartnett and Diane Kruger, or even Rose Byrne were no match for their French counterparts.
I would recommend this movie for the touchy-feely emotions it will leave you with but be warned like I said its not perfect with all it plot holes..
The movie deeply touched my heart and made me think about a lot of things love in life.The actor's performances were excellent.
If the Director wanted the viewer to care about Matthew's love life for two hours it would be easier if Matthew didn't act like a wide-eyed zombie for most of the time...Josh Hartnett is SO wooden, he should have auditioned for "Team America World Police" or the Gerry Anderson "Thunderbirds" TV series.Diane Kruger is forgettable (if only Hartnett's character had agreed) but Rose Byrne is a believable psycho and the best thing about the film.1/10.
In Chicago, the former photographer and presently advertising executive Mathew (Josh Hartnett) is closing a business in a fancy restaurant with a Chinese representative, when he sees a woman that looks like his former passion Lisa (Diane Kruger).
Matthew stays in Chicago with his friend Luke (Matthew Lillard) and decides to investigate the mystery.On 16 October 2005, when I first saw this remake, I wrote the following review:Although having a confused screenplay and too much coincidences, "Wicker Park" is a reasonable tale of obsessive love.
My vote is six.Yesterday (08 March 2011) I saw "L'Appartement" (1996) for the first time and now I have a totally different opinion:"Wicker Park" is a shallow and corny remake of a great French film.
The screenplay resolves some points that are not clear in the original movie, but the adaptation of the story is developed in fast pace and loses the mystery and the romance of "L'Appartement", forgetting details and characters.The worst of this remake is the detail of communication.
...eeeehhhm....Apparently the girl had to leave for Paris in such a hurricane of a rush that she wasn't able to give her boyfriend any notice except from the letter she gave to a total stranger ...riiiighht...this is the perfect advertisement for AT&T, just show people this film and end it with the comment, "you don't want these totally ordinarily events happening to you?!
And despite the fact it resembles to the French movie "L'Appartement" with Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci, that is far better filmed and it is absolutely out of competition to any sort of the film with the similar plot.
Josh Hartnett play a romantic guy who fall in love for Diane Kruger and who could blame him.
Josh Harnetts character, who the movie makers wanted you to feel for, was really just as selfish, obsessed and shallow as every other character in the film.
That blonde girl could have performed a little better at the end, with more feelings and all...but hey, that why it wasn't nominated for any award.No, really, great movie, good story.Watch it, you won't regret.Thank you..
It reminded me a bit of "Lost in Translation" or "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind": quiet, enjoyable, romantic, intelligent, one of those films that keeps you thinking for some time after having left the theater.
I liked Josh Hartnett's shy performance of a guy helplessly in love with a girl and even Diane Krueger was okay, since she actually had to play and not just display her beautiful face on a huge screen as she had to do in "Troy".
It's kind of unbelievable in parts -- you keep thinking: he has a CELL PHONE!But: "willing suspension of disbelief" and all that -- I sat back and enjoyed the characters, who were fun and interesting, especially "Shaggy," who really brings the movie back into contact with real life when it threatens to escape -- his part in the final scene in Bellucci's when Alex and Matt finally meet is just delicious.
And I enjoyed the plot, which keeps developing -- one of those films where people in the audience are talking to the character on the screen (Alex, in this case): "You *lyin'* b****!"What I liked most was the story-telling: the place of Wicker Park really exists in my mind now, with so many associations, going back to their first date -- you know it's their spot, and you know why.
That's how I feel about "Wicker Park."I'm in love with this movie, and can't wait to see it again..
Let me spare you the time, the money and whatever else you'd waste on this movie, and say that you'd be better off picking lint from your belly button than watching Wicker Park..
Some of the flashbacks go back a couple of years to when Matt and Lisa first met, but I really like how later on in the movie the flashbacks involve a different character's point of view of a scene we saw earlier.
But once you see how everything is coming together, it all makes perfect sense.The only thing I can say without giving too much away is that Hartnett is determined to find out if he really did see his lost love, and then from there you've got five people who are tangled up in a web of complicated relationships where some people may not be who they seem, lots of people are lying, and plenty will end up crying.So basically, Wicker Park is a big jigsaw puzzle.
I thought that in the end of the film when they wanted to meet at Wicker Park, they would meet there.
A good romantic movie Wicker Park.
Absoulately this film is one of the best romantic movies I have ever watched.
I haven't watch the original french movie "Appartement, L' (1996)" yet but I have already seen "Wicker Park" twice having being the first one 2 years ago, and in this opportunity I liked it the most.
I think "Wicker Park" deserves 8 stars and not its 6.8 that is why I give it a 10.I liked the performances of the four main characters specially of Josh Hartnett (even though I never liked much his work) and Rose Byrne who was excellent as Alex.The plot is about how obsession can make a person do things he or she could never have thought to do for being attracted to someone.
In "Wicker Park" we can see the relationships between 4 people specially the one between Matthew and Lisa (the beautiful Diane Kruger)who were a couple once until their relationship ended in a rear way, now 2 years later they have a new but a complicated opportunity to resolves the estrange end of their relationship and being together again.Now I wanna watch the original french film because original versions are better in general than remakes and because of Monica Bellucci.
This movie was great.The directing,soundtrack,atmosphere..simply flawless.I didn't expect it to be this good..yet it was; i am pretty demanding of movies but this one didn't fall short at any point..was simply a beautiful movie,one of the best romance movies i've ever seen..i'd definitely recommend this to anyone that is a fan of the genre,and to many that are not..the acting was excellent,josh hartnet did his best role i've seen,and i am not a fan either,yet he made a believer out of me..the supporting cast was also very good,everyone was their part,the casting was very good,nothing to criticise there either.Simply have fun and enjoy this movie,i'd suggest watching it with your girlfriend/boyfriend :).
While watching this film, i was always excited about love of Lisa and Matthew.
Although the movie seems like a ordinary love story , flashback styling makes it different even in this aspect this film can be liken with Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The fact that Alex, a woman who likes to impersonate a friend who has been too kind to her, plays into the plot until everything comes together when Matt finally finds the love of his life."Wicker Park" directed by Paul McGuigan sets the action in Chicago during the winter.
Josh Harnett, Diane Kruger, Rose Byrne have some good opportunities in the film..
Really loved this film.Especially Rose Byrnes performance as Alex.I think a few things probably turned people off this..before they saw it.The cover of the DVD makes it look like some crappy love story.Also they should of had a more "respected" actor than josh hart nett in the lead.
Everyone is horrible in that movie, especially Josh Hartnett (quite possibly, that the leading role casting couldn't be worse), but though Diane Kruger was quite nice.
And Diane Kruger was surprisingly good, all the times I said she was a pretty face that could not act, I take it back.I've seen the DVDs of this movie at the marked down bins in some stores and have ignored it.
This movie got me hooked it was confusing but like i said the second time i watched it things got so so so much clearer and i understood what happened.
i would recommend watching this movie if you have not seen it because i fell in love with it, i even cried, i yelled at the t.v. i was very emotional if you pay attention you will understand it clearly.
When I had finally pulled myself out of my chair (okay, off my futon) and turned the volume on my DVD player off, I realized that this film was a romance which really did mirror the love life of many people todayand movies like that are hard to come by.
Good actors, and an even better story makes Wicker Park a most enjoyable movie.
Released in 2004, "Wicker Park" is a drama/mystery/romance about a young Chicago advertising executive (Josh Hartnett) who falls in love at first sight with a woman (Diane Kruger), which leads to a growing relationship that abruptly ends.
That was until recently, and I must say, I'm glad I waited all these years to watch it.The movie has everything: a perfect cast (Diane Kruger, a goddess as always; Josh Harnett, pulling it up pretty well, this guy deserves much more attention!), very good and emotional music, fitting the scenes almost as if every song was made for the movie; the story, just awesome.
Matthew Lillard plays his usual geeky character, but the girls are pretty.If you like classy films, watch the original..
WICKER PARK (2004) **1/2 Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Matthew Lillard, Diane Kruger, Jessica Pare.
wicker park is the best film i had ever seen its sucking u right into the plot, the casting is great, and the acting is very good , overall its the best film I've seen in myn entire life and i have already seen it three times and i about to watch it again and again i don't think ill stop watching this film , all the girlfriends i had melted from that movie so guys if u want romantic evening with Ur gf watch this film, i promise you, you will not stop being surprised throw the entire movie and you will always try to figure out what is going on throw the movie you will always try to connect the dots between past and present its really are a great movie and a great experience really recommended i give it 10 out of 10 ........
The cast are good in their roles including Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Matthew Lilard, and Diane Kruger but some of them lack screen time.
The movie does have some suspense, mystery, and surprises as Hartnett's character desperately tries to find the girl of his dreams played by Kruger.
Wicker Parker has some suspense, surprises, drama, romance, and good performances by the cast who make this movie worth watching at least once..
Josh Hartnett, Rose Byrne, Diane Krueger are all wonderful in a movie, which keeps you guessing till the end..Many a times, we lose people based on misunderstandings.
However, we know that life does not give us so many chances.Then, there is also unrequited love - Which causes most of the confusions in the story.The movie is superbly directed - Some sequences like the flashback and the climax are standouts, pure eye candy.I am not a fan of either Josh Hartnett or Diane Krueger, but their chemistry works big time in this movie.This is based on a French movie - L Appartmente - Guess this is a superb version.Watch this film to be rewarded with quality entertainment..
Finally I would recommend the movie to everyone in love with Diane Kruger even if she can't really act....
After about the first thirty minutes of Wicker Park I was laughing because it seemed like this was the most absurd movie I had ever seen.
When it was over, I was surprised that a movie that had started out so poorly ended up being one of the better films I have seen in a while.If one sees this film, I recommend he/she be patient.
When it was over, I was surprised that a movie that had started out so poorly ended up being one of the better films I have seen in a while.If one sees this film, I recommend he/she be patient.
The performances from the four principals in the original film were outstanding and, unfortunately for Wicker Park, Josh Hartnett and Diane Kruger, although far from awful, are just not in the same class as Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci.
L'Appartement is definitely the better film but if you haven't seen the original or can't get hold of it, Wicker Park is a decent enough substitute.