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'If we're meant to meet again, we will.” So says Sara Thomas to Jon Trager. This much has already happened: They have a Meet Cute while fighting over the same pair of cashmere gloves in Bloomingdale's. They feel, if not love, strong attraction at first sight. They go out for hot chocolate. They find out each is dating somebody else. They separate. They return--he for a scarf, she for a parcel. They meet again. He wants her phone number. But no. They must leave themselves in the hands of Fate.

Fate I have no problem with. Leaving themselves in the hands of this screenplay is another matter. It bounces them through so many amazing coincidences and serendipitous parallels and cosmic concordances that Fate is not merely knocking on the door, it has entered with a SWAT team and is banging their heads together and administering poppers.

Jon is played by John Cusack , in what is either a bad career move or temporary insanity. Sara is played by Kate Beckinsale , who is a good actress, but not good enough to play this dumb. Jon and Sara have much in common; both are missing an “h.” The movie puts them through dramatic and romantic situations so close to parody as to make no difference; one more turn of the screw, and this could be a satire of “ Sleepless in Seattle ”. Consider. They want to be together. They like each other better than the people they are dating. But they toy with their happiness by setting a series of tests. For example: She says they'll get on separate elevators in a hotel and see if they both push the same button. Odds are about 30 to one against it. They do however both push the same button--but do not meet because of a little boy who pushes all the other buttons on Cusack's elevator. I consider this God's way of telling them, “Don't tempt me.” Another test. Jon will write his telephone number on a $5 bill and it will go out in the world, and she will see if it comes back to her. A third test. Sara will write her number in a copy of a novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez , and if Jon finds it in a used book store, well, there you are. (Marquez is fond of coincidences, but “Serendipity” elevates magic realism into the realm of three-card monte.) Jon searches in countless book stores, having never heard of Bibliofind or Alibris, where for enough money every used bookseller in the world would be happy to have a peek inside his copies of the volume.

Years pass: Two or three in the movie, more in the theater. Both are engaged to others. Some smiles are generated by her fiance, a New Age musician ( John Corbett ) who illustrates the principle that men who choose to wear their hair very long after about 1980 are afflicted by delusional convictions that they are cooler than anyone else. The plot risks bursting under the strain of its coincidences, as Sara and Jon fly to opposite coasts at the same time and engage in a series of Idiot Plot moves so extreme and wrongheaded that even other characters in the same scene should start shouting helpful suggestions.

By the time these two people finally get together (if they do--I don't want to give anything away) I was thinking of new tests. What if she puts a personal ad in a paper, and he has to guess which paper? How about dedicating a song to her, and trusting her to be listening to the radio at that moment, in that city? What about throwing a dart at a spinning world globe? I hope this movie never has a sequel, because Jon and Sara are destined to become the most boring married couple in history. For years to come, people at parties will be whispering, “See that couple over there? The Tragers? Jon and Sara? Whatever you do, don't ask them how they met.”

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Film credits.

Serendipity (2001)

Rated PG-13 For A Scene Of Sexualitly, and A Brief Language

Kate Beckinsale as Sara Thomas

John Cusack as Jon Trager

John Corbett as Lars Hammond

Molly Shannon as Eve

Jeremy Piven as Dean Kansky

Directed by

• Peter Chelsom

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• DVD & Streaming

Serendipity

• Comedy , Romance

Content Caution

In Theaters

• John Cusak as Jonathan Trager; Kate Beckinsale as Sara Thomas; Molly Shannon as Eve; Jeremy Piven as Dean; John Corbett as Lars; Bridget Moynahan as Hally; Eugene Levy as the Bloomingdale's clerk

Home Release Date

• Peter Chelsom

Distributor

• Miramax Films

Movie Review

Five days before Christmas, Sara Thomas and Jonathan Trager have a chance meeting over a pair of black cashmere gloves in Bloomingdale’s. Right away, Jonathan is attracted to Sara and wants to know more about her. But she’s not convinced that their meeting was meant to be. After all, they’re both dating other people. The timing just isn’t right. Still, Jonathan thinks that Serendipity is more than the name of the café where they share gourmet hot chocolate.

“Serendipity.” A fortunate accident. Surely there’s nothing wrong with letting him pursue her? Finally, Sara makes a concession to her growing attraction and lays out a fleece for fate. She asks Jonathan to write his name and number on a five dollar bill. Without looking at it, she gives it to a street vendor. Then, she writes her name and number in a book and promises to sell it to a used book store the next morning. They part not knowing each other’s last names, but with the agreement that if ever the book or the bill turns up in the other person’s hand, they’ll know their relationship was in the stars.

Years later, they haven’t forgotten each other, but they’ve given up on destiny. Jonathan is engaged to Hally and Sara to Lars. But as their respective weddings loom large, both are struck by an increasing frequency of “coincidences” pointing to one another. As Jonathan explains to his friend Dean, “The universe keeps revealing her to me.” In a last desperate attempt to satisfy their suspicions that they are truly soulmates, they set out on a search for each other. What ensues is just too good to be true. But that’s the point.

positive content: Judging from Lars’s placement of his career before Sara, it’s clear that she has “settled.” So, her decision to go searching for Jonathan again turns out to be a good one—one that supports having high expectations for a spouse.

Eve and Dean are selfless, loving friends to Sara and Jonathan respectively. They’re willing to help out on the soulmate search; they’re honest and they’re constantly encouraging and supportive. In addition, Serendipity ’s clear message is that existence is not meaningless or chaotic. There is a grand design to the universe. Unfortunately, it completely misses the “why” behind life’s uncanny coincidences.

spiritual content: Sara’s spiritually skeptical friend Eve owns a New Age store. Jonathan makes a passing comment to Dean about prayer. Several—no, numerous —conversations revolve around Sara’s insistence that fate controls the universe:

Sara: “I don’t believe in accidents. I think fate’s behind everything.” Jonathan: “So everything’s predestined? We have no choice …?” Sara: “No, we make our own choices, but fate sends us signs. How we read the signs determines our happiness.”

Sara: [After the wind blows away the slip of paper she’s about to give Jonathan. It bears her phone number] “That was a sign. Fate’s telling us to back off. … It’s not an exact science. It’s a feeling.”

Sara: “You don’t have to understand. You just have to have faith.” Jonathan: “Faith in what?” Sara: “In destiny.”

Jonathan: [After meeting another dead end on his search for Sara] “This is a sign. … Maybe the absence of signs is a sign.”

Even when both Jonathan and Sara give up hope in destiny, the course of events is all the while working to prove they’re wrong. In the end, everyone learns that fate truly does rule. Not God. Destiny.

sexual content: Both Jonathan and Sara live with their beaus before marriage. Sara’s sister and her boyfriend are seen in sexual positions through a picture window (no explicit nudity). A few prolonged kissing scenes. Half a dozen double entendres or sexual innuendos and a couple of homosexual jokes are written into the script.

violent content: Eve accidentally gets hit in the head with both a golf ball and a golf club. Jonathan gets upset with a clerk in Bloomingdale’s. He’s not physically violent, but he exhibits an explosive temper.

crude or profane language: About a dozen misuses of God’s name. Half as many uses of the s-word. And a few mild profanities as well.

drug and alcohol content: Dean toasts Jonathan with champagne. Hally asks, “On a scale of one to ten, how drunk is he?” Jonathan replies, “Twelve.” People drink during a live performance in a club. Sara’s sister mentions expecting her to get drunk. Jonathan drinks a beer in bed. Sara tries to light a cigarette, but the match goes out.

other negative elements: Jonathan resorts to an $800 bribe to get a clerk to look up Sara’s private information in a past credit card account.

conclusion: Fate is a calling without a caller. Intelligent design without a designer. A watch without a watchmaker. On one hand, it’s frustrating to watch a story that’s so insistent on predestination, yet denies the existence of a God who designs destiny. On the other hand, it shouldn’t surprise us. Ecclesiastes 3:11 tells us that God has set eternity in the hearts of men. Without being told, we know that there’s more to life than just chaos. More than a string of random, purposeless events. And it follows that we would try to explain the rhyme and reason behind life. Talk about “fate” and “destiny” is just an incomplete answer to questions about why we’re here. We’re willing to admit a plan. But we’re unwilling to acknowledge the existence of a planner. Perhaps because admitting He exists would mean we might have to live in line with His statutes.

If Serendipity would just substitute “God” for the generic and not-quite-satisfying “Fate,” many of its assertions would be true. Actually, they’d become even more encouraging and substantial. Fate is sometimes capricious. By contrast, God may be inscrutable, but He is always loving. Adding Him to Serendipity ’s equations would make this sweet story about finding the love of your life much more meaningful. As it is, the film straddles the fence between being discussion fodder and being entirely too preachy about its naturalistic worldview. Likely, its smattering of bad language, innuendo and one sexual scene will topple it off where families are concerned.

Lindy Keffer

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Serendipity Reviews

You'll be highly amused, bountifully entertained and - maybe, just maybe - uplifted and reinvigorated.

Full Review | Sep 12, 2021

...lightweight to a fault...

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Sep 5, 2021

...a somewhat absurd premise that's employed to pervasively affable and flat-out delightful effect...

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | Jan 9, 2021

Despite its coincidental excesses, Serendipity is sweet fare, reminding us of the beauty and magic of life and love and of being in love in New York.

Full Review | Nov 16, 2019

Director Peter Chelsom's follow-up to the disastrous Town and Country is occasionally sickly sweet, but is saved from being just another dollop of seasonal pudding by Cusack's winning performance.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Nov 4, 2019

Is it destiny that binds the leads together or the pesky script? [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | Nov 4, 2019

Some romances soar on the chemistry of its stars. Such is the case with Serendipity.

Full Review | Original Score: 7/10 | Mar 7, 2019

Lightweight romance may appeal to teens.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Dec 28, 2010

"Serendipity" will serve as an excellent gauge of any viewer's tolerance level for schmaltzy contrivance and manipulation.

Full Review | Aug 19, 2008

The goofiest movie Nora Ephron never wrote.

Full Review | Original Score: F | Sep 23, 2007

There's nothing special or remarkable, but it's amiable and entertaining enough to make you forget that it's directed by the same man who brought the world Town And Country.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Dec 30, 2006

Every scene is predictable, every cliché is embraced enthusiastically .. and if you have a soft spot for romantic comedies, you'll still be sighing happily.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Nov 9, 2006

Delivers its romance in a warm, straightforward way with no frills.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/4 | May 26, 2006

Despite borrowing two of its supporting cast from TV's Sex and the City, the film has no bite and too few jokes; its unabashed romanticism is just plain flimsy when a vapid Beckinsale is supposedly The One.

Full Review | Feb 9, 2006

There isn't a wasted moment, and as such "Serendipity" leaves one with a pleasant feeling few films generate: that of wanting more.

Full Review | Original Score: 3.5/5 | Dec 6, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 30, 2005

...so empty, so derivative

Full Review | Original Score: D | Jan 29, 2005

A qumica entre Cusack e Beckinsale eficaz - pena que, durante a maior parte do tempo, os dois sejam mantidos separados pelo fraco e previsvel roteiro de Marc Klein.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jul 9, 2003

I can't get over the complete reliance on fate even if it is what the movie is all about.

Full Review | Apr 24, 2003

Ultimately, it's the yin and yang that does Serendipity in. Balance is good, but it isn't particularly impassioned. Neither is Serendipity.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 10, 2003

Review of Serendipity

The official Serendipity website can be accessed HERE .

3.5 out of 5 Stars, 7/10 Score

In This Article

Review of <I>Serendipity</I>

IGN Recommends

Serendipity

A romantic bauble set in an impossibly glamorous New York City that seems even more like a fantasyland in the current context, "Serendipity" will serve as an excellent gauge of any viewer's tolerance level for schmaltzy contrivance and manipulation. This unabashed "chicks' movie" is set for domestic release Oct. 5.

By Todd McCarthy

Todd McCarthy

• Remember Me 14 years ago
• Shutter Island 14 years ago
• Green Zone 14 years ago

A romantic bauble set in an impossibly glamorous New York City that seems even more like a fantasyland in the current context, “Serendipity” will serve as an excellent gauge of any viewer’s tolerance level for schmaltzy contrivance and manipulation. Diverting on the most superficial planes of physical attractiveness, wish fulfillment and happy ever-aftering, Peter Chelsom’s attempt at a rebound from “Town & Country” reps a sort of repackaging of “Sleepless in Seattle” in fancy new wrapping. With a couple of quick shots of the World Trade Center reportedly on the way out after the Toronto premiere, Miramax should expect serviceable returns from this unabashed “chicks’ movie” upon domestic release Oct. 5.

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Totally devoted to the notion that there is One Special Someone out there for everyone, the first produced screenplay by Marc Klein also requires that lightning strike not once but twice in the case of the central couple, who tempt fate by playing a silly game on the night of their first meeting that makes the odds of their ever finding one another again very remote.

Popular on Variety

The sentiments at the heart of the picture are highly romantic ones that many people can buy into, but the massive pile of hasty decisions, close calls, mad dashes and chance encounters accumulate into a mountain of artifice that will (at least) roll the eyes or (at most) gag anyone with a dominant sense of reason.

To pic’s credit, opening “meet cute” between the principals is engaging and instantly establishes an obstacles-be-damned rooting interest in them. After good-naturedly tussling over the last pair of black cashmere gloves at Bloomingdale’s, an attractive young fellow in his mid-30s and a mid-20s British beauty spend 20 minutes of screen time realizing they are meant for each other while grabbing a bite at the eponymous restaurant, ice skating in Central Park and bantering in a lightheartedly clever manner.

Entirely too attached to a belief in “fortunate accidents,” the young lady, who insists until the last minute that they don’t exchange names, tempts fate once too often by suggesting that they each get on separate elevators at the Waldorf-Astoria: If they get off on the same floor, it means they’re destined for one another; if not, c’est la vie.

Well, they both head for the top floor but she catches the express while he gets stuck on the local, so they just miss each other.

A few years later, Jonathan (John Cusack) is within days of marrying another dark-haired honey, Halley (Bridget Moynahan); while out in San Francisco, Sara (Kate Beckinsale) is having the question popped to her by laughably New Agey pop star Lars (John Corbett). Despite all the time that’s passed, Jonathan still can’t get over the girl who got away and, with the help of nebbishy best buddy Dean (Jeremy Piven), launches into a desperate last-minute search for his inamorata that involves some very comical antics as he tries to get her name from an officious Bloomingdale’s clerk (Eugene Levy).

At the same time, Sara tells Lars she needs a “break” and jets off to Gotham with her best friend Eve (Molly Shannon) with the secret agenda of tracking down Jonathan before making up her mind about Lars. At the Waldorf, Eve bumps into Halley, an old college friend (natch) who impulsively invites her to her wedding. On the eve of the latter event, credulity is stretched well past the breaking point as Jonathan and Dean, having established Sara’s whereabouts, fly to San Francisco, only to mistake Kate’s sister for the woman they’re looking for and give up the game for good.

It would be spoiling everything and, given the tale’s inevitability, nothing at all to reveal what happens once Jonathan and Dean wearily return to Manhattan. As a fairy tale, pic is sufficiently fanciful and sprightly to satisfy the sort of easily seduced audience for which it is intended. But it is so calculated, and so familiar in its narrative trappings, character types and gentrified coziness, that there is a great deal that a reasonably seasoned – and certainly a sophisticated – audience would choose to resist.

As far as Chelsom is concerned, at least this plays, which “Town & Country” emphatically did not. Yet pic is all but drained of the distinctive and unusual colorings that graced “Hear My Song” and especially “Funny Bones.”

“Serendipity” does deliver an ultra-romanticized vision of a New York aglow with glorious urban spaces, beautiful people and the warm potential of eternal love. Cusack and Beckinsale spark well in the opening reel and remain nothing short of energetic and appealing the rest of the time. But Piven’s comic relief and Shannon’s best friend are far too on-the-money sitcommy. Tech contributions are tops, with Toronto shooting having seamlessly been worked into Gotham locationing.

Reviewed at Toronto Film Festival (Galas), Sept. 13, 2001. Running time: 90 MIN.

• Production: A Miramax release of a Tapestry Films production in association with Simon Fields Prods. Produced by Fields, Peter Abrams, Robert L. Levy. Executive producers, Bob Osher, Julie Goldstein, Amy Slotnick. Co-producers, Amy Kaufman, Andrew Panay. Co-executive producer, Robbie Brenner. Directed by Peter Chelsom. Screenplay, Marc Klein.
• Crew: Camera (Deluxe color), John De Borman; editor, Christopher Greenbury; music, Alan Silvestri; music supervisor, Laura Ziffren; production designer, Caroline Hanania; art directors, Tom Warren (N.Y.), Andrew Stearn (Toronto); set decorators, Catherine Davis (N.Y.), Carol Lavoie (Toronto); costume designers, Marie-Sylvie Deveau, Mary Claire Hannon; sound (Dolby Digital/SDDS/DTS), Tod A. Maitland; supervising sound editor, Paul Clay; assistant director, Vincent Lascoumes; casting, Mary Gail Artz, Barbara Cohen, Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Smith, Kerry Barden.
• With: Jonathan Trager - John Cusack Sara Thomas - Kate Beckinsale Eve - Molly Shannon Dean Kansky - Jeremy Piven Lars Hammond - John Corbett Halley Buchanan - Bridget Moynahan Bloomingdale's Salesman - Eugene Levy

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Serendipity Review

26 Dec 2001

Serendipity

Serendipity , aside from being “an aptitude for making fortunate discoveries accidentally” (according to Webster’s Dictionary, at least), is also the name of a famous café in Manhattan that was a regular hangout of one John F. Kennedy. And coincidentally — thus giving its title a cunning double meaning — it’s where Cusack and Beckinsale get to know each other over mountainous glasses of hot chocolate, as frothy as the romantic comedy in which they appear. Said double entendre, however, is about as deep as this film gets.

Still, Cusack, who seems to be cementing his reputation as one of the quirkiest romantic leads around, is as likeable as ever, playing hopelessly love-struck thirtysomething Jonathan who claims to be a documentary producer (only you hardly see him do any work).

Beckinsale is the English rose who creates a diversion from his Christmas shopping, takes him skating and then leads him on a merry dance through the lift shafts of the Waldorf Astoria before disappearing from his life, claiming fate will bring them together if it was meant to be.

And so it does when, some years later, Sara, now living on the West Coast, looks for one final weekend of freedom before tying the knot with her New Age musician boyfriend (Corbett). Off she goes to NYC with her one-day romance very much in mind.

There are plenty of small incidental pleasures here — including Piven as Cusack’s best mate and Levy as a tetchy sales assistant — and rom-com stereotypes are thankfully avoided in favour of believable, likeable characters and some picture-postcard shots of New York.

There’s nothing special or remarkable, but it’s amiable and entertaining enough to make you forget that it’s directed by the same man who brought the world Town And Country .

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Serendipity, common sense media reviewers.

Frothy romcom has some language, sex.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Romantic comedy exploring the theme of fate, of "i

No real role models.

Lead male character and his best friend look in th

Infrequent profanity: "bulls--t," "crap," "ass."

Serendipity the restaurant plays a role.

Characters drink champagne at a dinner party -- le

Parents need to know that Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale that explores the theme of love and fate. Kate Beckinsale's character smokes cigarettes, and some drinking is shown, including a dinner party scene in which a man gives a toast while drunk on champagne…

Positive Messages

Romantic comedy exploring the theme of fate, of "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be."

Positive Role Models

Sex, romance & nudity.

Lead male character and his best friend look in the window of a house to see two people having passionate sex -- no nudity. While flirting shortly after they first met, lead female character asks lead male character what his favorite sexual position is.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Drinking, drugs & smoking.

Characters drink champagne at a dinner party -- lead male character's best friend makes a toast while very drunk. Drinking in a bar. Lead female character smokes cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Serendipity is a 2001 romantic comedy starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale that explores the theme of love and fate. Kate Beckinsale's character smokes cigarettes, and some drinking is shown, including a dinner party scene in which a man gives a toast while drunk on champagne. The two male leads are shown looking into a nearby window and watching two people having passionate sex -- there's no nudity, but it's obvious what's happening. Infrequent profanity (bulls--t," "crap," "ass") is heard, and there's some sex-themed humor. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (5)
• Kids say (6)

Based on 5 parent reviews

An underrated Gem!

What's the story.

SERENDIPITY is (1) a "happy accident" and (2) a New York restaurant that serves sweet, frozen goodies. It is #1 that brings our couple together, as both try to buy a pair of black cashmere gloves at Bloomingdale's, and #2 where romantic sparks fly when Sarah ( Kate Beckinsale ) takes Jonathan ( John Cusack ) there to thank him for letting her have the gloves. There's a strong romantic connection, but both are involved with other people, so they part, with two romantic note-in-a-bottle opportunities for fate to bring them back together. He writes his name and number on a five-dollar bill, which she puts back into circulation. And she writes her name and number in a copy of Love in the Time of Cholera , which she sells to a used book store. Years later, as both are about to get married, they are still drawn to each other. So we're in Sleepless in Seattle / When Harry Met Sally land, watching them just miss each other a dozen times until the happily-ever-after ending.

Is It Any Good?

This is romantic confection with all the weight of a soap bubble, but it has all the sheen and charm of one, too. Cusack and Beckinsale are just right, giving a small touch of bittersweet reality to the fairy tale. Sarah's insistence on letting fate determine the outcome could make her seem arbitrary and foolish, but Beckinsale shows us that it's just the result of Sarah's struggle to overcome a deep romanticism. Cusack, always superb in showing us that same struggle, makes Jonathan's quest to find Sarah genuinely touching.

The script wobbles at times. The respective fiancés are neither interesting enough to merit their screen time or awful enough to make us feel comfortable about seeing them get dumped. And the near-misses get a little overdone. Adept performances by sidekicks Molly Shannon and Jeremy Piven and by Eugene Levy as a persnickety Bloomingdale's salesman provide buoyancy. And cinematographer John de Borman captures New York City as a dreamy wonderland, with twinkling lights and floating snowflakes.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about romantic comedies. How does this compare to other romantic comedies you've seen?

How was the theme of fate explored in the movie? What were the ways, big and small, in which the idea of "if it's meant to be, it's meant to be" was shown?

Do romantic comedies and love stories create unreal expectations in the minds of those who have watched these their whole lives, or do you think people watch movies like these simply to be entertained?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 5, 2001
• On DVD or streaming : April 9, 2002
• Cast : Jeremy Piven , John Cusack , Kate Beckinsale
• Director : Peter Chelsom
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Miramax
• Genre : Romance
• Run time : 90 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : a scene of sexuality, and for brief language
• Last updated : February 13, 2024

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Serendipity.

Directed by Peter Chelsom

Sometimes True Love Can Have More Than One Face.

Although strangers Sara and Jonathan are both already in relationships, they realize they have genuine chemistry after a chance encounter – but part company soon after. Years later, they each yearn to reunite, despite being destined for the altar. But to give true love a chance, they have to find one another again.

John Cusack Kate Beckinsale Jeremy Piven Bridget Moynahan John Corbett Molly Shannon Eugene Levy Lilli Lavine Michael Guarino, Jr. Abdul Alshawish Stephen Bruce David Sparrow Gary Gerbrandt Ann Talman Crystal Bock Kate Blumberg Ron Payne Marcia Bennett Eve Crawford Victor A. Young Leo Fitzpatrick Evan Neumann Lucy Gordon Kevin Rice Brenda Logan James Goodwin John Ellison Conlee Charles A. Gargano Arthur Pascuzzi Show All… Mike Benitez Christopher James Baker Neil Claxton Sandra Caldwell Ajay Mehta Clark Middleton Marqus Bobesich Kevin Kean Murphy Paul Rutledge Simon Jutras Pamela Redfern Aron Tager Catherine Kuhn Buck Henry

Director Director

Peter Chelsom

Producers Producers

Peter Abrams Simon Fields Amy Kaufman Andrew Panay

Writer Writer

Casting casting.

Billy Hopkins Suzanne Smith Crowley Mary Gail Artz Kerry Barden Barbara Cohen

Editor Editor

Christopher Greenbury

Cinematography Cinematography

John de Borman

Assistant Directors Asst. Directors

Steve Apicella Amy Lynn Kristie Sills Vincent Lascoumes

Executive Producers Exec. Producers

Robert L. Levy Robbie Brenner Bob Osher Julie Goldstein Amy Slotnick

Production Design Production Design

Caroline Hanania

Art Direction Art Direction

Tracey Gallacher Tom Warren Andrew Stearn

Set Decoration Set Decoration

Catherine Davis

Special Effects Special Effects

Connie Brink

Visual Effects Visual Effects

Matt Linder

Stunts Stunts

G. A. Aguilar David Copeland John Mead Peter Bucossi Rick Parker Joanna Shelmidine Jodi Michelle Pynn

Composer Composer

Alan Silvestri

Sound Sound

Tod A. Maitland Paul B. Clay

Costume Design Costume Design

Marie-Sylvie Deveau Mary Claire Hannan

Makeup Makeup

Jordan Samuel Margot Boccia Carla White Linda Grimes

Hairstyling Hairstyling

Victor DeNicola Janice Miller Werner Sherer

Tapestry Films Miramax Simon Fields Productions

Releases by Date

13 sep 2001, 05 oct 2001, 29 nov 2001, 20 dec 2001, 21 dec 2001, 26 dec 2001, 11 jan 2002, 18 jan 2002, 25 jan 2002, 19 feb 2002, 22 mar 2002, 18 apr 2002, 19 apr 2002, 18 jun 2002, 16 nov 2011, 06 feb 2012, 28 oct 2004, releases by country.

• Theatrical PG
• Premiere Toronto International Film Festival
• Theatrical U
• Theatrical 0
• Theatrical 12

Netherlands

• Theatrical AL
• TV AL Net 5
• Physical AL DVD
• Physical AL Blu ray
• Theatrical M/12

South Korea

• Theatrical APTA
• Theatrical Btl
• Theatrical PG-13

90 mins   More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

Popular reviews

Review by tainah ★★★ 13

the only realistic part of this is that a straight guy freaks out when the woman he's hitting on has never seen his favorite movie (bonus points if she's never even heard of it).

Review by Ayo Edebiri ★★ 5

HBOMax lowkey wins the streaming wars because in between all the good prestige stuff it has movies like this and you feel like you’re on winter break watching bad movies at your mom’s house which IS a good feeling sometimes! even when the movie is bad. especially, some might say!

Review by margherita ❤️‍🔥 ★★★★ 6

what kind of person doesn’t eat a free piece of birthday cake?

Review by sarah ★★★★ 1

not gonna lie, if my soulmate doesn’t write his name in an old book that i need to find in a bookstore in new york city, i don’t want it

Review by David Sims ★★★ 4

we should have let Kate Beckinsale run shit for a few years and we blew it

Review by giovana :) ★★½

it was nice but they took too long to find each and that annoyed me

Review by vee ★★★ 3

i was debating whether or not to give this 3 stars but then john cusack started crying when he saw kate beckinsale and i found this very relatable

Review by megan ★★★★

i relate to john cusack, because i too would look at kate beckinsale with upmost respect and admiration.

Review by Kate Veismane ★ 2

At least I learned a new word.

Review by DirkH ★★★½ 9

Me after watching Serendipity:

*puts fingers in ears and starts chanting*

'I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies... I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies... I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies... I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies... I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies... I'm a guy I don't like romantic comedies...'

Crap, it's not working....

Review by ele 🪷 ★★★

you either die baby spice or you live long enough to see yourself become old spice.

Review by sree ½ 5

where was jimin

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Serendipity

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Reviews in chronological order (Total 6 reviews)

Unknownusers, submitted by bernardm70 on 29/12/2001 11:15.

29 December 2001 11:15AM

• Recommend? ( 0 )
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Link to this comment:

Submitted by KW on 29/01/2002 10:56

29 January 2002 10:56AM

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"We waste our money so you don't have to."

"We waste our money, so you don't have to."

Movie Review

Serendipity.

US Release Date: 10-05-2001

Directed by: Peter Chelsom

Starring ▸ ▾

• John Cusack ,  as
• Jonathan Trager
• Kate Beckinsale ,  as
• Sara Thomas
• Molly Shannon ,  as
• Jeremy Piven ,  as
• Dean Kansky
• John Corbett ,  as
• Lars Hammond
• Bridget Moynahan ,  as
• Halley Buchanan
• Eugene Levy as
• Bloomingdale's Salesman

Kate Beckinsale and John Cusack in Serendipity .

Webster's tells us that Serendipity is the faculty of making fortunate discoveries by accident. The movie Serendipity tells us that this happens all the time. Once about every five minutes or so, at least to the characters in this movie. It is a theme, which at first you laugh at, then become incredulous over, but eventually accept as a part of this movie's landscape. The random acts of near misses, and lucky discoveries are interwoven with enough skill that you just accept that they are happening instead of scoffing at the unbelievabilty of it all.

 That point aside, Serendipity , the movie, tells the story of John, (Cusack), and Sarah (Beckinsale), a young, attractive couple who meet by chance in Bloomingdale's department store when they both reach for the same pair of gloves. What follows is one of those perfect New York nights in which the stars align and the two fall in love. At the ending of the evening however, Sarah, who believes strongly in fate, decides that if they are meant to be together, they should let destiny decide their future. She writes her name and number in a book that she intends to sell to a used book shop, and has John write his name and number on the back of a five dollar bill. If either of them find the other's item, than they are meant to be together.

Flash forward a few years. Sarah is now living in San Francisco with a new age musician with whom she is on the verge of becoming engaged. John, still living in New York, is due to be married in just a few days. At this turning point in their lives, they find themselves looking back to that golden night and wondering what would have happened, if they'd pursued the relationship.

What follows is a series of near misses, serendipitous moments of near contact, leading up to the usual Hollywood love story ending.

The movie has some very funny moments sprinkled throughout it's length. Eugene Levy's Bloomingdale's salesmen, perhaps being the funniest. Unfortunately, it is also sprinkled rather more heavily with unfunny moments and poorly written dialogue.

It is the first half hour of the movie that is truly the most entertaining, thanks in large part to the chemistry between the two leads. After the flash forward, the movie never really finds it's comic footing. At times wandering into slapstick, golf ball to the back of the head, humor, and other times, slipping into touchy feely emotions which sound more corny than heart felt.

And I feel compelled to point out here, that while for the most part this movie, which was partially filmed in Toronto, manages to seamlessly blend the scenes filmed there, into the scenes filmed in New York, with the exception of one thing. Twice John is shown riding in subway car, where amazingly enough, the seats have cushions. Any New Yorker could tell you, this just isn't true in New York. A moot point, but one that jumped out at me.

The lone date movie in a sea of unromantic thrillers, perhaps Serendipity will do well at the box office, but then only fate can decide.

John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity .

Scott wrote that the best part of this film for him was the first half hour where this couple has a magical night. This first meeting and connection. He liked the actors chemistry. I completely disagree with all of that. You have two people meet and supposedly fall in love in one night. As I watched this movie I saw no sparks between them. They had Ice cream together. They went Ice skating together. They had superficial conversations like "What's your favorite New York moment?" and "What's your favorite sexual position?" The latter question never seriously gets answered. They talk endlessly about fate and play a game with elevators. However, at no time did I ever feel these two people were making any kind of connection. It all felt more like they just had nothing better to do so why not just hang out together. Like the lyrics from an old song "If you can't be with the one you love then love the one your with." The only thing that appeared to make this night work was convenience. There really was no passion or intrigue into the characters that drew them together. They just seemed to have some free time. Considering the whole set up didn't work for me, you can guess what I thought of the rest of the movie. I did not care if they got back together! Because I never thought they were together in the first place. The supporting cast of Eugene Levy, Buck Henry, Jeremy Priven and Molly Shannon sounds good. But the material provides little to work with, so their parts go fairly unnoticed. The producers might as well have saved money and hired nobodies. Is getting hit in the head with a golf ball any funnier if its done to some one less famous? Like so many romantic/comedies, that have come out since When Harry Met Sally , this one has a sound track of old standards. I love Louis Armstrong, but if the actors, director and script can't set a mood, then all the pop standards in the world aren't going to help.  Scott pointed out that the New York subway scene was obviously not filmed in New York because of seat cushions. Since we are really getting picky here I have one last thing to add. I wrote an article about how actors never zip up there jackets when pretending to be cold. Watch the first part of this movie where they are supposedly in New York in December. Yeah, that is how I dress when I am cold. My jacket wide open and my scarf dangling over my shoulder. After all, everyone knows you just wear a jacket for the slimming effect, and scarves are just there to set off your eye color.

John Cusack in Serendipity .

Serendipity is one of those frivolous little movies that manages to amuse provided you go in with the right mindset or if you are in the proper mood. This is contrived Hollywood romance in overdrive. It is completely implausible plot wise yet thanks to the plucky leads it works on some levels.

John Cusack has grown on me as an actor. He has outgrown some of his overly earnest acting that always marred his early work. Scott mentioned Eugene Levy who is funny but Molly Shannon steals every scene in her supporting role. But then I think anything the woman does is hilarious.

The pop standards, the snow, the camera angles are all intended to heighten the sense of the romantic. If you are cynical by nature this will undoubtedly turn you off. If, however, you enjoy this sort of thing then watch the movie. It is that cut and dried.

Photos © Copyright Miramax Films (2001)

© 2000 - 2017 Three Movie Buffs. All Rights Reserved.

Serendipity (United States, 2001)

Serendipity is a romantic comedy from British director Peter Chelsom ( Hear My Song, The Mighty ) that pairs quirky, likable John Cusack with rising star Kate Beckinsale. All of the usual adjectives apply: sweet, cute, delightful, romantic, etc. Alas, there are also a few others that are equally valid: annoying, long-winded, and irritating. This is one of those movies that thinks it's building suspense and romantic expectations by keeping the characters away from one another for most of the movie. In reality, all it's doing is delaying the inevitable moment when they finally get together and robbing us of the opportunity to enjoy them interacting. I like romantic comedies where the characters spend time with each other instead of running around New York City and San Francisco, almost bumping into each other.

This is the characteristic that most annoyed me about Next Stop, Wonderland and, to a lesser degree, bothered me about both Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail . Maybe I'm just impatient, but, for the hour during Serendipity when the two star-crossed lovers are trying to connect, I was drumming my fingers on my arm rest and muttering silently, "Just get on with it!" Then, after 60 minutes of teasing, the payoff is disappointingly short. I want to see the movie that comes after this one, when these two soul-mates start spending time in each other's company.

Cusack plays Jonathan Tragar, who meets Sara Thomas (Beckinsale) in New York City during the 1994 pre-Christmas shopping rush. They spend a magical few hours together in a romantic pseudo-reality, but then they must part, since both of them have significant others. But Jonathan and Sara sense they are drawn to one another by more than dumb luck or blind chance. So, to test fate, Jonathan writes his name and number on a $5 bill and Sara inscribes her information in a book ("Love in the Time of Cholera"), both of which are put into circulation (the money is spent and the book is taken to a used book store). If either of them finds the other's phone number, they will know they are meant to be together. Seven years later, they are still looking, although not very hard. But, as marriage approaches for both of them, little things remind Jonathan of Sara, and Sara of Jonathan, and the search begins in earnest - through department stores and warehouses, and from coast to coast.

Have I spoiled the ending? Yes, and no. Yes, I have told you what happens (at least in general terms), but this is what everyone seeing Serendipity will know occurs, with absolute certainty, before they walk into the theater. Enjoyment of this movie depends upon how much you like being teased. Please note that I'm not complaining about the fairy tale nature of the story, with all of its ruminations about fate, which I found to be charming. I just didn't appreciate being deprived of meaningful character interaction.

The chemistry between Cusack and Beckinsale is palpable, and, on those occasions when they are together (especially in the beginning), we notice it. They actors are appealing enough when apart, but the movie is at its best when they're on screen at the same time. The supporting players provide the film's dose of comedy. Jeremy Piven is Cusack's best friend, while Molly Shannon plays the same role for Beckinsale. Not surprisingly, the scene-stealer is Eugene Levy, whose deadpan portrayal of an uptight department store salesman is one of Serendipity 's highlights.

Romantic comedy lovers will probably swoon over Serendipity . From my perspective, it's a lukewarm feature, but there are things to enjoy about it, and I have to admit leaving the film with a little smile on my face (rather than the scowl that has too frequently shown my displeasure with other movies this year). Chelsom does almost enough right to counterbalance what he does wrong. While I don't think this is the kind of movie worth running out to see, if you like sentimental pictures, you will probably enjoy what Serendipity has to offer.

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‘Serendipity’ Review: Turning a Cancer Diagnosis Into Art

In her new documentary, the sculptor Prune Nourry explores how her work evolved after a breast cancer diagnosis.

• Share full article

By Ben Kenigsberg

After the artist Prune Nourry received a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2016 at age 31, her experiences of treatment began to inform her art . “Serendipity” is both a document and an extension of that process — a self-portrait in which Nourry showcases past projects and explores how her artistic impulses evolved.

Nourry draws connections with previous artworks she made on fertility. Agnès Varda (who died in March, and whom Nourry thanks as “her sweet potato Agnès Varda” in the closing credits) helps her cut off a pigtail braid. Nourry later shaves her full head for the camera.

Another of Nourry’s projects in recent years, Terracotta Daughters , puts a gender switch on a Chinese tradition of male terra-cotta soldiers. A sculpture army of terra-cotta girls was buried in 2015, with an excavation set for 2030. In the film, Nourry remarks that she wants the pieces to be unearthed in accordance with her wishes if she isn’t around.

Nourry likens working in sculpture to a superpower — a way of healing with her hands. Unsurprisingly, “Serendipity” can be an extremely intimate documentary, but there are other times when it is curiously remote in elucidating Nourry’s artistic intentions. This is not a criticism. Too much demystification might spoil the art, and the film makes clear that Nourry often sees purpose in her instincts retrospectively.

It seems best to view “Serendipity” as one component of a much bigger project ( a book on Nourry ’s work with the same title was published in 2017) — a body of work in which life and art are inseparable.

Serendipity

Not rated. In English, French and Chinese, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 14 minutes.

Movie Review

Plot Summary

Film Review

I loved this movie. Although it's frustrating cause I know after watching it they could have more than easily edited it to a PG film, but the characters were all very likeable and the chemistry between Cusack and Beckinsale was perfect. While events sometimes became frustrating, this was balanced out nicely by plenty of humor and light-hearted moments. But of course, good ole "reliable" Hollywood must mess up a good movie with even the smallest or shortest occurrences of objectionable content.

Before I go into detail about content, however, I just want to touch a little more on the story and overall presentation and feel of the film. The thing that made this movie work so well, was pretty much how sweet and often innocent the film presented itself. Unfortunately the main characters do live with each others' respectable fiancés before being married, which although is acceptable in our culture these days, isn't by Christian moral standards. When the main characters aren't providing humorous or sweet moments, their separate best friends aid in lightening the mood and generating a chuckle from the audience. And although some may find the whole 'fate' plot ridiculous or maybe even offensive, it came across as simply a sweet romantic story and not a soapbox for any new age thinking. While Sara's best friend works for a new age shop, in a conversation with Sara she reveals to her that she finds it to be all ridiculous herself. God was only mentioned once in the film, used in a positive note through the popular phrase, "when God closes a door, He opens a window."

Content, overall, isn't as bad as most current romantic films. There's a scene of sexuality when two guys accidentally see a couple having sex through a window of their house. The scene, although short, does show the couple from the torso up with no explicit nudity, but we do see their facial expressions and a little movement. The filmmakers clearly could have and should have left that out of the film and substituted and alternate sequence just as or more significant (yes, it actually has significance, but it's ridiculous to include). Language is moderate for a PG-13 film with 6 "s" words, a few uses of blasphemy and several other colorful phrases. When the swearing and sex come into the film, it just doesn't fit with the overall delivery of the film. There are a few other sexual references in dialog, but nothing really explicit. I suggest using caution before seeing this film. Other than these offensive instances, it's an excellent movie, but the content does indeed hinder its overall outcome.

In closing, I found the movie to be a good fun date film. It doesn't really take itself as seriously as most films of this genre do (like "Notting Hill" or "Someone Like You"). The film also successfully shows that you don't have to show sex scenes between the main characters to give off a romantic feeling or show that the characters love each other. However, when the physical is introduced into such films, it just taints and renders the film with a filthy feel where sinful lust is portrayed as opposed to a more innocent love. (Do we really need to see sex in the movies? And how many times are these couples married? Think about it...)

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Serendipity Parent Guide

When Jonathan Trager (John Cusack) and Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale) both reach for the last pair of black cashmere gloves at Bloomingdale's during the Christmas rush, Jon is convinced this is the start of a wonderful introductory offer. But Sara thinks fate should decide if they are meant for each other, so the pair exchange contact info in a way that will insure only destiny will allow them to access.

Release date October 5, 2001

Run Time: 90 minutes

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The guide to our grades, parent movie review by rod gustafson.

A short unnecessary sexual scene between two secondary characters, some mild spoken innuendo, and a smattering of profanities push Serendipity just out of reach of our recommended grades. Yet the many cute misunderstandings and witty moments (the best example being Eugene Levy playing a strong-willed suit salesman) turn this paint-by-number plot into a pleasant distraction for female teens and anyone else craving coincidental courtships.

About author

Rod Gustafson

Serendipity rating & content info.

Why is Serendipity rated PG-13? Serendipity is rated PG-13 by the MPAA

Overall: C+

Those seeking a romance where the best surprise is no surprise, will fall in love with Serendipity . Others looking for the least little turn in the road will find counting their popcorn to be more exciting. As for the teen female crowd, there’s no doubt they’ll love the premise, but parents may be cool to a few sexual banters and an unnecessary depiction of sexual activity.

Violence: B+

Woman falls when skating, scratches arm. Father, son, and another man briefly stuck in elevator. Man threatens and tries to bribe salesclerk. Music video shows Viking characters with swords. Men tussle with each other in several scenes. Dog knocks man over. Woman hit with golf ball on two occasions (no serious injury inflicted). Characters make mocking remarks about New Age philosophies.

Sexual Content: C-

Affectionate kisses exchanged between friends shown on several occasions. Man makes joke inferring woman getting sex change operation. Woman asks man about his favorite sexual position. Man jokes about woman’s intentions when she suggests they enter hotel. Man jokingly refers to being his male friend’s "first wife." Two engaged couples seen kissing a few times—at least one of these couples obviously living together. Woman talks to fiancé in a sensual way about getting undressed and into bed. Woman wears midriff revealing clothes. Man says woman sat on him, but meant she sat "for" him as artistic model. Woman infers two women may be lovers, to which one of the women jokes about her friend being lesbian (which they are not). Man talks about strippers being entertainment at pre-wedding party. Man and woman (secondary characters) obviously engaged in sex seen through window three brief times—both obviously naked, although we only see his back.

Language: C

At least: 6 moderate profanities, 10 mild profanities, and 8 terms of Deity used as profanities or expletives.

Alcohol / Drug Use: B

Woman asks friend about man’s drunkenness. People drink alcohol in bar setting. Main character attempts to light cigarette. Two brief shots show man drinking beer. Woman holds beer bottle. Couple drinks champagne.

Page last updated July 17, 2017

Serendipity Parents' Guide

How can depending on “fate” to rule your life become dangerous if applied to reality? What are some other ways Sara could have determined if Jonathan was the “right” man for her? Considering how well they really know each other, do you think the tremendous coincidences they experienced would make a significant difference in the success of their relationship over the long term?

The most recent home video release of Serendipity movie is April 9, 2002. Here are some details…

Blu-ray Notes: Serendipity

Release Date: 3 January 2012

Serendipity releases on blu-ray with the following bonus extras:

- Commentary with director Peter Chelsom

- Production diary

- Deleted scenes with Chelsom’s commentary

- Storyboard comparisons

- Behind-the-scenes featurette

DVD Notes: Serendipity

Release Date: 9 April 2002

Related home video titles:

Looking for others films like Serendipity? Try Sleepless in Seattle , You’ve Got Mail , or While You Were Sleeping .

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Movie review: Filmmakers bring action flourish to flimsy ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’

The first “Bad Boys” came out in 1995, which means we’re officially entering the “aging action star” territory with this franchise. The fourth installment, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is directed by the up-and-coming action filmmaking team Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, known as Adil & Bilall, who took over directing duties from Michael Bay with 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life.”

There seem to be two options for the action star – and franchise – that’s getting up in years. One can either take the Tom Cruise route, returning to a text that was originally all flash and sensation, and infusing it with a sense of soulful poignancy as the character (and actor) reckons with what he’s sacrificed in his pursuit of pure adrenaline (e.g., “Top Gun: Maverick”). The other option is to join the crude, cynical supergroup known as “The Expendables,” where beloved action stars josh and jostle for a cash grab.

But the “Bad Boys” franchise has taken another tack. Adil & Bilall take the basic scaffolding and structure of the previous films – the Miami setting, the character archetypes that stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have established, and Bay’s distinctive visual language – and then freestyle on top of it. Adil & Bilall dutifully pay homage to Bay’s signature visual style, aping his constantly moving camera, low Dutch angles, and the signature “Bad Boys shot,” in which the camera circles around Smith and Lawrence as they stand up into frame, staring into the distance. But they treat the “Bad Boys” template like a coloring book, scribbling with their own wild artistic experimentation on top of these lines.

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is a declaration of action independence, using new technology like drones, and infusing the film with the visual language of video games. Bay himself used drones with a certain gonzo artfulness in his 2022 film, “Ambulance,” but Adil & Bilall use their drones to follow people and movement in space, explore the geography of interiors and transcend screens within screens.

They also use wild, rapidly swapping first-person-shooter-style POV shots in the shootouts, which are legible to the average gamer even if they don’t always make cinematic sense. They can easily get away with layering in this kind of stylistic experimentation because the beats of “Bad Boys” are so familiar, and in “Ride or Die,” are essentially perfunctory.

Writers Chris Bremner and Will Beall offer a story that is wide but shallow. There’s certainly a lot of plot, and even more characters, even if we don’t get to know them all that well. This convoluted yarn concerns the bad boys’ deceased Captain Howard (Joe Pantoliano), who has been posthumously framed for corruption, accused of sharing intel with drug cartels. Marcus (Lawrence) and Mike (Smith) seek to clear his name, but find themselves at odds with Howard’s U.S. Marshal daughter, Judy (Rhea Seehorn), bent on vengeance, and their colleague Rita (Paola Nuñez), who has brought the charges with her attorney/mayoral candidate fiance Lockwood (Ioan Gruffudd). Their only chance at fingering the real bad guy is Mike’s drug dealer son Armando (Jacob Scipio), who has been imprisoned for the bloody chaos he wrought in “For Life.”

Meanwhile, our guys are grappling with their own mortality and PTSD. After a near death experience at Mike’s wedding, Marcus finds himself spiritually renewed, feeling invincible, euphoric, babbling about his past lives. Mike, on the other hand, is gripped with anxiety as a newlywed and as a “new” father.

But this simply provides the playground upon which the filmmakers can experiment and Lawrence can clown to his heart’s content. His performance is garish, but there’s something about him that just wears you down over the course of two hours – one must simply submit to his comedic ministrations. The first half of the film is overly concerned with Marcus’ sugar addiction, and during one shootout in an interactive art gallery/creative space, he has a single sip of fruit punch and reacts as if he’s freebased crystal meth. That theme is quickly dropped for other equally cartoonish bits, such as a run-in with a redneck militia, a callback to their infiltration of the Klan in the second movie, and a side quest to a strip club, where they tangle with Tiffany Haddish.

“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” never quite finds its tone, but then again, the franchise has always walked the strange line of goofy and hard, teeter-tottering between Lawrence and Smith, and despite the cinematic experimentation and a couple of impressively nasty fight scenes (courtesy of the younger actors), this installment favors the goofy. It’s a thin tapestry of lore with some interesting creative embellishments, but without any real interest in character, it feels flimsy and disposable. You could do worse, but you could certainly do better.

Hydropower is ready to step up to the plate against summer heat

Summer is nearly here and the Northwest has sprung to life as the days have grown longer and warmer.

EXCLUSIVE: Wolverine Wants Revenge on Professor X in the X-Men Krakoa Finale

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The following contains spoilers for X-Men #35, on sale next week

The X-Men's time on Krakoa is all but finished, and all there is left to do is say goodbye to it all. Well, that, and in the case of Wolverine, get vengeance on Xavier for his crimes against humanity, which we see the mutant hero set out to do in this CBR Exclusive preview of next week's X-Men #35, which also serves as the 700th issue of Uncanny X-Men (don't question the math, just accept it!), the final part of the five-year journey of the X-Men that will forever be known as The Krakoan Age.

X-Men #35 is a giant-sized issue, with multiple stories, so it is from writers Gerry Duggan, Kieron Gillen, and Al Ewing on the main story, Chris Claremont on the back-up story, and Gail Simone and Jed MacKay on a preview of things to come in the "From the Ashes" relaunch. The art is by Sara Pichelli, Stefano Caselli, Jerome Opeña, Leinil Francis Yu, Phil Noto, Mark Brooks, Walter Simonson, Luciano Vecchio, Lucas Werneck, Joshua Cassara, John Romita Jr., and Scott Hanna on the main story, Salvador Larroca on the back-up story, and Javier Garrón on the look at the future. The colors are by Sunny Gho and David Curiel, and the letters are by Clayton Cowles. The issue picks up from the end of the Fall of X storyline, which culminated in the fifth issues of Fall of the House of X , and the Rise of the Powers of X , the latter of which came out this week.

EXCLUSIVE: The X-Men and Magneto Fight Nimrod for the Fate of the World

The X-Men take on Nimrod for the fate of the whole world in this CBR exclusive preview of next week's Fall of the House of X #5

The X-Men were at war with Orchis throughout the Fall of X, and for months, the mutant heroes were unable to attack the evil anti-mutant organization direclly because Orchis held humanity hostage through a backdoor in the medicine that Krakoa had supplied the world (which was used by hundreds of millions of people) that could kill the humans who took the pills. Once the X-Men neutralized that backdoor, the battle with Orchis began in earnest. Shockingly, though, Orchis itself was taken over by the Artificial Intelligence that helped run it, with Nimrod and the Dominion being known as Enigma becoming a threat to not only all humanity, but also all existence.

Charles Xavier decided that the only way he could get close enough to stop Enigma was to join forces with Orchis against humanity, nominally in exchange for protection for the mutant nation of Krakoa (so long as mutants stuck to that island), but really to get close to Moira MacTaggert, so that he could convince Moira to help the Phoenix destroy Enigma, thus saving the universe. However, Xavier had to commit atrocities in order to sell Nimrod on him actually being in league with it, and that included destroying a space shuttle that was carrying nuclear weapons intended to stop Nimrod's attack on Earth (luckily, the X-Men stopped Nimrod anyway ). At the end of Rise of the Powers of X #5, Xavier, having saved existence, surrendered to the authorities. He is set to face punishment, but there is one mutant who thinks that Xavier needs a different kind of punishment, as Wolverine wants vengeance.

The Splendid Serendipity of X-Men: The Animated Series

X-Men: The Animated Series became a classic for a generation of fans, and it owes a great deal to serendipitous timing for when it was released

In the main preview pages, we see a brief recap of Xavier's recent history, and then see that Xavier is being transported to some sort of secure facility, when the prison transport is attacked. The guards naturally think that this is the X-Men come to rescue their leader, but Wolverine makes it clear that he is actually there to punish Xavier himself. Meanwhile, something strange is going on on Krakoa, but it doesn't seem like it's a BAD sort of strange.

In the other preview page, the first page of a backup story by Chris Claremont and Salvador Larroca, we see Nightcrawler spending the day with his family, Destiny, Mystique and Rogue (Rogue, his adopted sister, and Destiny and Mystique, his newly discovered biological parents).

X-Men #35/ Uncanny X-Men #700 is on sale next week.

Source: Marvel