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From the Past

Films on the to-do list

  • Armageddon Time
  • Black Widow
  • Chimes at Midnight
  • The Killing of a Sacred Deer
  • Last Christmas
  • Remember Sunday
  • Shazam! 2
  • Thor: Love and Thunder
  • Spy Guys

Kate & Leopold (2001)

Film review: Kate & Leopold (2001), directed by James Mangold

The premise of romantic comedy Kate & Leopold is that a man finds a crack in the time-space continuum over the East River in New York City. He jumps through it, lands in 1876 and when he returns to modern day, he happens to accidentally bring a duke back with him. The duke finds himself bewildered in modern day NYC but not enough to not fall in love with a beautiful woman. It’s a clash between different time and different morals.

And it has Hugh Jackman in a cravat, so that’s me sold.

It’s a sweet film, no two ways about it. A 19th century gentleman falling in love with a 21st century market researcher – how can it not be? Thought Leopold was a bit too quick in grasping modern day life at times, which threatened credibility a bit. Like getting into bed with Kate – I don’t care that he was fully dressed and only held his arm around her – a Victorian gentleman wouldn’t have done that, right? Not when he’s so adamant about getting up from the table every time a lady gets up. Didn’t quite make sense, no matter how cute it was.

Meg Ryan does romcoms quite well, she’s done a few in her time. Slightly typecast as the Manic Pixie Dreamgirl, perhaps, but hey, if you’re good at it, go with it. Hugh Jackman was interesting, as it’s really not the sort of role I was expecting to see him in, but a handsome man in period clothing (cravats, yay!) is never to be frowned upon. Especially not when Leopold was such a darling as well.

The time-hole was discovered by Kate’s ex, Stuart (Liev Schreiber – also not really the sort of role I would expect to see him in), who live in the apartment above hers. The thing that bothered me was that the dog had an electronic shock collar (why the hell did Kate have the remote anyway?!) – not cricket. Stuart spent most of the time out of the picture, as he was in hospital. The deleted scenes had bits where he woke up in the elevator shaft so we could see that he wasn’t dead. It was quite shocking that in a lighthearted, fluffy romcom, someone was killed off. He wasn’t, but we didn’t know that. Should’ve seen it coming, I suppose, just because you really can’t have someone die in that way in that sort of film!

Kate’s actor brother (Breckin Meyer) was cute in his “trying to be less of a clown and more of a gentleman” way. I thought his name was familiar, and looking him up, it really was the Robot Chicken guy. Saw bits of the extras on one of their Star Wars specials DVDs and he caught my eye. So he can obviously do more than stop motion boys-will-be-boys childishness. Don’t get me wrong, Robot Chicken is quite often hilarious, but y’know …

If you’re willing to suspend your disbelief for the ultimate romance saga of finding that Mr Right is from another century AND still attainable, and won’t throw up over the whole arguably sexist “driven career woman willing to give up everything in order to be with the man she loves” message, then yes, Kate & Leopold is definitely a good film. If you have issues with it, then it’s an okay film. Still leaves you with that nice, warm feeling so it definitely works as a nice little fantasy romance. Just don’t expect miracles. Beyond falling through a rip through time, that is.

4 out of 5 cravats.

Traxy

An easily distracted and over-excited introvert who never learns to go to bed at a reasonable time. Enjoys traveling (when there's not a plague on), and taking photos of European architecture. Cares for cats, good coffee and Boardwalk Empire. A child of her time, she did media studies in school and still can't decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

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