MovieChat Forums > Remember Me (2010) Discussion > Don't be tricked into thinking this is g...

Don't be tricked into thinking this is good

posted 10 years ago by Chapeau_idiot
23 replies | jump to latest

It's easy to see why someone may think this is a good movie. Everything is to made to make you think that it's a dark, emotional drama. Hey look! All these characters are tortured, and plus there's sad music all the time and the colors are really gloomy, so I should probably feel sad or something, right? Sure, that might be the case, but unfortunately the script is so poor and unoriginal, so ridden with clichéd dialogue, that the director's attempt to make it seem like a serious drama becomes aggravating and almost insulting to the viewer. And this movie takes itself really seriously; it just doesn't have any believable content to back it. Hollywood movies are typical for their lack of subtlety, but where this one really stands out is by so forcefully shoving every bit of gloominess and despair down the viewer's throat, to the point of absurdity. The actors are mediocre (I thought Pierce Brosnan was decent) and are nowhere near being capable of saving this movie.

I obviously have to talk about the ending. A lot of people seemed to be offended by it, and I think I agree. Hear me out for a second. I have absolutely no problem with any movie that deals with 9/11, but this movie isn't about 9/11. It was just a bland and overly depressing teen drama that tries too hard to seem deep. The main character could have been killed by anything; a car crash, or a bike accident, or whatever, and it wouldn't have affected the previous story IN ANY WAY. The fact 9/11 was used in such a climactic way at the end, comes off to me as exactly what I think it is: A director so desperate to try and make his audience feel something that he'll disregard any concerns for good storytelling and just slap some more trauma in our faces. I'm not offended because he used 9/11 (if it was referenced in a more anecdotal way I wouldn't have had any problem with it). I'm offended because it's an huge insult to the viewer's intelligence.

I think this is one of the worst movies I've seen, and hopefully you can understand why. I rarely post here, but I really needed to get this one off my back.

[–] Trezelle 10 years ago

Well-written post. Everything about this movie is tacky and cheap.

[–] Doc80 10 years ago

I completely agree with you about the inclusion of 9/11 as the ending. I saw it simply as a cheap way to draw emotion from the audience. As someone else said in another thread, everyone should have known that one of the main characters were going to die based on the name of the movie.

[–] lemonader 10 years ago

but this movie isn't about 9/11

Wrong, this movie succeeds in being about 9/11 in ways all the other films (WTC, United 93, etc) fail. Not that the others are bad films, but this one truly captures/recreates the emotional impact that day had. The attacks were a complete surprise and most people couldn't even imagine something like that happening. The viewers knew what to expect with the other films and are emotionally prepared for what they are about to see. Nobody was prepared for what happened on 9/11. I think Remember Me is especially important for the newer generations to experience, having been too young or not yet born at the time.

[–] Chapeau_idiot 10 years ago

Wrong, this movie succeeds in being about 9/11 in ways all the other films (WTC, United 93, etc) fail. Not that the others are bad films, but this one truly captures/recreates the emotional impact that day had. The attacks were a complete surprise and most people couldn't even imagine something like that happening.

NO. NO. NO.
I repeat. This movie is not about 9/11.
It's an hour-and-a-half long teen drama with 9/11 thrown in at the very end. This movie doesn't recapture the shock of 9/11 because people are WELL AWARE that this event happened. The ONLY reason it's surprising is because the director had the audacity to use 9/11 as plot device when there is no mention of, or reference to 9/11 during the entire movie. Most of all, its inclusion in the movie serves no narrative purpose whatsoever. It's completely ludicrous. The fact that you're surprised, that it comes as shock, simply doesn't make it a good movie. You might as well take Lord of the Rings and just stick 9/11 at the end of it. A joke obviously, but what I'm saying is that context and setting in a story isn't only about location and time, it's also about narrative continuity, about how the events relate to each other.

[–] LillyView 10 years ago

@Chapeau_idiot, You are entitled to your opinion on the movie, however the writer has clearly stated that the movie was about 9/11 and his way of honoring those that lost their lives.

[–] Chapeau_idiot 10 years ago

This is probably one of the most typical arguments people use IMDB. It's also completely invalid.

You are entitled to your opinion on the movie

Of course I am. The purpose of these message boards is to share opinions. Simply saying that I'm entitled to my opinion is not an invalidation of it.

however the writer has clearly stated that the movie was about 9/11 and his way of honoring those that lost their lives.

Great. All I'm saying is that if that was his intention, he failed. YES I KNOW THIS IS ONLY MY OPINION, but if you want to refute me please bring forth arguments about the movie itself.

[–] stabiljka (39) 10 months ago

Ok, you are absolutely right that this movie is NOT about 9/11 (and thus you earned the privilege of telling people who claim the opposite that it's "their opinion". But I disagree that it's inclusion is so bad. Compared to tens of thousands of successful cliché movies - this story is quite original. Maybe 7.2 stars is a bit too much, but it's not bad movie.

[–] wshladjef 10 years ago

People were just going about their lives, however they may have been, when 9/11 happened. How was their going to be any mention of 9/11 in the movie when it came out of the blue?

[–] wshladjef 10 years ago

there

[–] StephieVee 8 years ago

Exactly.

[–] tsegat 9 years ago

Yep, you nailed it! There seemed to be no point to the 9/11 ending other than manipulating the viewers emotions. Also I saw some 9/11 connection coming early on in the movie. How many movies start in 1991 and flash forward TEN years. So while watching the tedious melodrama of a story, I knew there was a 9/11 cliche coming, but as you said, it served "no narrative purpose whatsoever".

[–] wshladjef 9 years ago

Tyler could have gotten shot at the subway and this movie would be just as impactful, but the screenwriter was influenced by 9/11 so that's the direction it took and realistic to what happened to those who found themselves in the towers that day. This is an excellent movie.

[–] ikcaj 9 years ago

I'm shocked that more people didn't catch the foreshadowing and rather direct references to 9/11 the OP states don't exist. The college class discussion on terrorism and morals, some of the news clips of Bush speaking in the background, the "dessert first" scene, the continual references to the date, specifically the birthday, Labor Day, and the partially written date on the chalkboard in the first classroom scene.

The ending wasn't remotely tacked on or unrelated. It was right there throughout the entire film.

[–] josephnatescott 8 years ago

"It's an hour-and-a-half long teen drama." And a _good_ hour-and-a-half-long teen drama.

[–] I_Am_Morgan 10 years ago

Here's my issue with saying this movie is about 9/11: I spent literally the entire movie wondering how all of these random, miserable events could possibly be connected into some semblence of a story, and then at the end they throw in 9/11. I don't remember hearing about this movie, so I was floored when I just checked iMDB and saw all of the raving reviews.
My point is, with or without the 9/11 reference, this was an awful movie that was disconnected and boring.
Acting was great, story was ridiculous.

[–] john.schneider 10 years ago

It is absurd to say that 9/11 was "thrown in" at the end of the movie. That's like saying the 9/11 attacks were thrown in during the morning of that day! This movie portrayed a very well written and acted story and then you saw how some of the character's lives were ended surprisingly, just like what happened in real life on that morning. "Thrown in!" Sheesh! Give me a break!

[–] wshladjef 10 years ago

I agree. That's how it was. No one saw it coming and that's how it is in life. You aren't promised tomorrow.

[–] wshladjef 10 years ago

Opinions are opinions and I differ. The movie was written by Will Fetters after reading NY Times profiles on those killed in the WTC. So it originated in that. The movie has a strong message about sudden loss and living with grief and not putting loved ones first not knowing how much time we have left. And I think this movie does a great job in getting across the way 9/11 was. Way too much anger when movies deal with real life events all the time.

[–] Jecht_Sin 9 years ago

So it's that real? Or collage of people's stories from the victims profiles? I liked the movie, I did care for the characters but the ending could be omitted. It felt cheap.

[–] troyjacks 8 years ago

100% agree. Its not a film looking to "trick" but dealing with sudden loss. As in suicide or accident. Ive worked on emmy 9/11 documentaries - they received the same scrutiny... and mainly when you're dealing with American tragedy... it takes time for viewer to adjust and adapt to circumstances. Give it 10yrs and the response won't be as severe. The movie is well done. Americans mostly don't have a problem with tragedy or war attacks in film when it takes place off american soil but let it happen in the US... then we have issue historically. If you read from the writer his perspective = you'll have a different perspective. Well acted and done film.

[–] teamleshark 8 years ago

I know you wrote this some time ago my friend but I truly believe you must have either watched a very cut version of the film or watched a totally different film than I saw, I watched it twice as it was so good, your name says it all really because to be frank you do talk like one and as I always say, if you think it was bad then why don't you go out there and make a better one yourself? No? I didn't think so, most of you blind critics expect far too much from films these days and don't know how to appreciate good writing and story-telling when it's right in front of you. Try showing some appreciation for once. I found it all very believable and non-offensive so did everyone else that i've spoken to. You would be better off sticking to cartoons or something as you are obviously never going to understand films the way they are meant to be understood, you blame the writer for your inability to comprehend anything more intelligent than sponge bob. Let me know if you ever make a film so i can watch it and review it :)

[–] Humanity_Youve_Failed 8 years ago

You're so edgy OP. This movie is just "teen angst garbage" and you're only inclined to think highly of well written films which consists of either "movies no one has heard of" or "movies so bad that you've managed to say they're a masterpiece".
No one knows films like you do.

You're so deep and this movie could not resonate with your superior intelligence and anyone who thinks this is a good movie is a step beneath you in society and intellect.

Nice hipster move.

Anyway, besides your *beep* post, this movie was great and well written and acted.

[–] Chapeau_idiot 8 years ago

I love it when people on this site have such angry reactions, but I don't actually address any of the points I've said. Are you really this emotionally invested in what people think about some dumb movie?

I get it, you disagree, but listen, i've got nothing against you. I'm not going to respond to you by putting stuff in quotations that you've never actually said, or assume you're some kind of pretentious hipster *beep* because I don't know you, and I don't care who you are.

I wrote this post to start a discussion about the movie, not for people to make unjustified assumptions about me. So do you want to actually discuss the movie, or are you just going to stick to personal attacks?