To find something delightful without looking for it,
a happy coincidence.
Perhaps it is the eternal romantic in me, or the smooth chemistry of the film which consistently finds this cute little love story so appealing, and holds it in a permanent place within my collection of must watch Christmas and anytime 'I want to believe in love' stories.
Serendipity gives us room to dream that fairytales are possible; the idea that wonderful things are there for the finding, just that you have to be open to feel them. Love is a complicated thing, and there are many ways to look at it - the ultimate argument always being that we should find the best of what stands before us instead of trying to find some kind of 'perfect' match. Is love learned or instantaneous? Fate warrants that the latter be true, that if you are lucky enough to feel in a moment that this person is something magical to you, you should pursue it, do everything you can to find it again.
The romantic in me will always say that the heart has foremost say, and ultimately only it knows when someone is the one for us. But reality always intercedes and we make choices around a whole lot of other circumstances, such as time and place and where at that point we see our life heading. Chances are scary, they give room to loss and uncertainty, and though they also give way to magic, the lack of assurance of it can be daunting. In Serendipity Jonathan (John Cusack) accidentally meets the love of his life in a department store, while looking for a present for his girlfriend. He later tells Sara (Kate Beckinsale) that things had to aline for them to meet, and it would be crazy to let it go. Jonathan knows almost the minute he looks at her that something magical has just occurred, and so does she, but Sara is the more restrained one of the two. She feels that if theirs was a chance meeting, all the elements in their lives would have already be arranged for them to take a leap, and since both are attached the occurrence must be a mistake. She opens up to the possibility that if they are meant to be, life will bring them back together again. As the audience we are witness to all the little coincidences that prevent this from happening, we know they are destined to be together, but they must fight for it to really understand what they have.
The cleverness of the plot, I think comes in the repetitive actions that both characters take, years later, in still being reminded of the other person. At the end of their meeting, Sara leaves it to fate to bring her back to him, and writes her name and number in a book, while making Jonathan write his on a five dollar bill. The idea being that if their meeting was destined it would re-occur. For years, we are told they continue to search for that left clue, even though they are happy and contented in their lives. Because fated love cannot be contentment, it has to be extraordinary, felt so deep within that it cannot be avoided. As they are both about to give their life to other people the universe sends little clues to remind them of each other and forces them to go and try and find whether their meeting was just one perfect night or meant to be. It is almost ironic that it is Sara, who pushed away the first time, who cannot help but go back to that moment and believe in fate - 'It was like, in that moment the whole universe existed just to bring us together. That's why I am here, that is why I am going to let fate take me wherever it needs to go' - Sara
Supported by a hilarious cast lead by Jeremy Piven and Eugene Levy who play the little devils in the shoulder, egging the characters on to do what everyone else would say is wrong, gives the theme of 'destiny' credibility. Your best friend ought to want you to be most happy, right? And be mesmerised by the choices that make you who you are. Though Dean (Piven) does not have the fearlessness that Jonathan eludes, he does recognise the importance of chances. Quoting Greek Philosopher Epictetus: 'If you want to improve be content to be thought foolish and stupid', and becoming then the voice of the audience who most certainly would be standing behind Sara and Jonathan's fated love. Not because what they have already is not great, their significant others do seem perfect for them, and they do love them; but neither them nor the audience can leave behind the simple perfection that was the leads original meeting.
Ultimately the question posed is: do you go along with greatness or do you seek misplaced perfection?
Not everyone finds this… but if you did, how could you let it go?
Not everyone finds this… but if you did, how could you let it go?
