"Remember Me" - The title should have said it all.

I am probably not doing myself justice to begin a new blog by critiquing such an underrated film. To be completely honest, I bumped this film up on my Netflix queue due to the surfacing of my long withheld crush on Robert Pattinson and the Twilight Saga.  I have friends who can vouch for how long I managed to avoid reading the Twilight books and seeing the films. But I digress. I wanted to see Pattinson in another role and my curiosity got the better of me.

I somehow had an inkling that the story told would be a sad one. What I didn't expect was for it to be book-ended by tragedy, loss, and a feeling of futility.  This being the case, Pattinson didn't get to really escape his brooding, angsty, late-teens/early twenties pigeon hole.  I am able to overlook this, much like I have in Twilight (because eye candy is still delicious on mute), and I found myself more engrossed by the story being told.  The more predictable part of the story was the relationship between Tyler and Ally (Pattinson and de Ravin).  Damaged goods attracted to damaged goods. No brainer.

What was engrossing was Tyler's devotion to his younger sister, Caroline (played by Ruby Jerins). She ran away with my attention in this film and I was captivated by her strength and naivete. Their chemistry as siblings was very touching - as was his defense of her when she is neglected by their father (Pierce Brosnan).

********SPOLIER ALERT********
I have honestly not sat with a gaping mouth over a surprise ending since The Sixth Sense. I could have been paying more attention to the specific time and location, all of which were disclosed. If I had, I would have perhaps been more prepared to expect what would happen to these characters on September 11, 2001. The greatest criticism I have read was how "disrespectful" this fictional tale is to the thousands of real life stories could have been told.  I disagree with this wholeheartedly for several reasons. First, other, true stories have been told in other films and other venues. Say that this had been a true story.  Then someone just would have claimed that there was a more deserving story that should have been told instead. Second, this film was not about 9/11.  The point of this film was to encourage us all to stand firm for what we believe in and be the living embodiment of our beliefs every day. Carpe diem and all that shit, you know? To circle back to my first point, I think the fact that Tyler's fictional life was ended on 9/11 only helps to solidify my feelings of true loss on that historic day.

I give this 4/5 whisks. One for taking me by surprise. One for making me cry. One for Pattinson. One for the bold statement.