The Lake House

Herald rating: * * *

This romantic drama requires you to abandon logic and engage with a heartfelt story about two people who fall in love, but are living at different times. Sound confusing? It is.

The Lake House is a remake of the 2000 South Korean film Il Mare, and its magical realism has been lost in translation from art-house to mainstream.

But the performances are solid and subtle, considering the last time these two performed together it was in Speed, and though there is a hint of chemistry between Bullock and Reeves, it's not enough to allow you to transcend the film's lack of logic and gaping holes in the plot.

Bullock is Dr Kate Forster who moves from Illinois to Chicago to begin a hospital job. She leaves a note in the letterbox asking the next occupant to forward her mail, and apologises for the dog paw-prints by the front door.

Alex Wyler (Reeves) buys the house and moves in. He responds to Kate's letter and, after some initial confusion about there being no paw-prints by the door, they discover they are living on the same day, but two years apart - Kate in 2006 and Alex in 2004.

Both characters are coming to grips with a new stage in their lives, and through their letters develop deep feelings for each other.

It's tricky to work out what's happening and at what time and how they manage to own the same dog at the same time.

While it's best not to think too much about the logistics, it's hard to surrender to the film's sweeping romantic aspirations without feeling that its convoluted plot has managed to confuse what could have been a refreshingly different love story.

Verdict: A confusing time-travel love story.

Cast: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Running Time: 108 mins
Rating: PG, contains low level offensive language
Screening: Village, Hoyts, Berkeley cinemas