Remember Me

This year’s romantic heartthrob, R-Patz – ‘Twilight’ star Robert Pattinson to those non-fanatics among you – has an executive-producer credit attached to this unobjectionable but slightly arch and sentimentalised 2001-set New York romantic drama. This may suggest an effort on his part to add thespian respect and some rebellious street-cred to his image. If so, he might have chosen a more subtle director than Allen Coulter (‘Hollywoodland’, TV’s ‘Nurse Jackie’, ‘The Sopranos’ etc) and a better script than this clichéd, strangely humourless effort by newcomer Will Fetters.Nevertheless, the all-important romantic mechanics work well enough.

The movie’s meet-cute occurs at the NYU canteen where conflicted rich kid Tyler (Pattinson) dare-dates overprotected, lone-parented Ally (petite star Emilie de Ravin from ‘Lost’) on the prompting of Tyler’s standard-issue flatmate and gooseberry, Aidan (Tate Ellington). Fate, family loss, father obsession and too much booze have brought them together: Ally’s cop dad (Chris Cooper, wasted) had previously banged up Tyler for a back-street brawl, which explains the cool-looking bruises the nice but nihilistic 21 year old sports throughout the movie – as well as the angry dad’s embargo and the curtailment of their brief idyll as the calendar turns fatefully towards September…

It’s a movie that craves much indulgence: Pattinson, playing handsome, mixed-up and misunderstood, is watchable enough but he ain’t no Olivier; while de Ravin bears her straitjacket role of ‘pretty, sweet and wise’ with good grace. But, be warned, if you’re vulnerable to outrageous, cringe-inducing implausibilities – not least the ludicrous stand-up row between Tyler and his father in the latter’s Twin Towers boardroom – you’d best give this one a miss.