WICKER PARK

Supposedly a romantic thriller

PRINCIPAL CAST MEMBERS
Josh Hartnett: Matthew, (a.k.a. Matt) an investment banker living in Chicago
Matthew Lillard: Luke, shoe salesman and Matt’s best friend
Rose Byrne: Alex, a Shakespearean actress
Diane Kruger: Lisa, a professional dancer
Jessica Pare: Matt’s fianceé

REVIEW
What a mess. This movie is so convoluted and confusing it’s beyond comprehension. And it is not just the flashbacks that are out of sync time-wise that are the problem but also the gaping holes in the plot and ridiculous situations that are totally unbelievable.

In addition the acting by Josh Hartnett is terrible since all he’s capable of doing is furrowing his brow to express a range of emotions. Some acting.

One last thing, this romantic thriller is neither romantic nor thrilling. It is simply a waste of time.

CLASSIFICATION
for sexuality and language

FOR NITPICKERS ONLY
When Jessica gives Matt a bottle of sleeping pills to calm his nerves before his flight to Shanghai he pours two (maybe three? it happens so quickly) into his right hand then magically somehow with the other hand snaps the cover back on, puts the bottle in his pocket then gets ready to gulp down the pills. But now there is only one pill.

While sitting in his parked car outside Lisa’s apartment on the left hand side of the road and pondering his next move we see the headlights of a car passing by that light up the left side of his face; but on his left is the sidewalk so any passing car could only have been to his right.

When Alex and Matt decide to have a drink in her apartment we clearly see the label to be J&B Scotch. After the camera turns to Matt and back to Alex the bottle has swiveled around by itself and the label is hardly visible.

The next morning she makes coffee and serves it in champagne glasses. Both take a sip and put them back down on the tray. During the course of the next half dozen shots the glass in front moves by itself to the left then to the right of the sugar bowl and back again.

When Matt takes a cab to see Alex perform it is a Yellow taxi number 535. The next day he flags down a taxi in busy downtown Chicago and guess what? It’s good ol’ number 535 again. Chicago needs more taxis.