Cinema Crazed

2006

Rated: PG-13 for adult language and some sexual content.

Genre: Romance Drama Comedy

Directed By: Ol Parker

Running Time: 1:33

Review by: Felix Vasquez Jr.

Review Date: 1/05/07

Special Features:
Commentary by director/writer Ol Parker
Deleted and extended scenes with director's commentary
Q&A with director and cast
Personal statement by director Ol Parker
Features both widescreen and full-screen versions

IMAGINE ME & YOU

One of the few redeeming traits about this film is Matthew Goode's performance as a man struggling to convince himself that his relationship with his fiance is solid and stable, when he can't turn away from the obvious signs of her gradual change over the course of the film. His character is a very noble and dignified man who has to let go of his girlfriend or fight for her.

Okay, seriously folks, if you’re creating a romance, whether it’s a gay romance, or hetero romance, you have to have some logic or reason for the two folks to be attracted to one another. Or else, it just feels so damn obligatory. Take “Imagine Me & You” for example. Why do these two women find each other so alluring? Not because they’re both very attractive, or because they realize they’re lesbians, but because we’re just supposed to buy they’re into one another based on a brief glance. You have to give us an inkling to what the attraction is. You don’t have to explain why Piper Perabo has an English accent, but you can at least give us the romance bit.

A girl forced into a loveless marriage, an overbearing family, expectations from her galore, but oh, there’s the lesbianism, so it must be original. No, what director Parker serves us is the basic romance, except with two women. I’m always up for lesbians falling in love and kissing, and romancing, but it’s your typical romance, why should we watch it? Because of Lesbians? Hello! Online porn? Back Pedaling a bit, “Imagine Me & You” doesn’t really serve anything to the audience we can’t find on a typical romance at your local theater.

It’s the typical two people falling into each other’s arms, after one is forced into marriage due to their own self-fulfilled obligations, the rebellious change of pace, etc. It’s just all so dull and typical. Considering we’ve seen almost the exact same plot in “Kissing Jessica Stein,” yet another gay cinema turd, Parker stomps over the very same ground. Is the character Rachel really a lesbian? Is she just in love with this mysterious flower shop owner? Or is she just bored with her husband? Will she fall out of love with either of them? When does feelings come into account? “Kissing Jessica Stein” presented the same questions, with the same basic romance except with two women, yet Parker’s film is just as bland because it pretends not to be. It almost struggles not to be. But there’s just no denying when a spade is a spade. “Imagine Me & You” is routine romance junk.

There are very few advantages to watching a formulaic romance that vainly attempts originality through adding a lesbian themes. The performances are mediocre, the overall plot goes nowhere, and it's ultimately an unsatisfying bit of melodrama.

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