Jackson Booth-Millard
I mainly knew about this film because of the leading actress, I didn't know anything else apart from that, but critics gave it good reviews, so I hoped I would like it, directed by Gary Winick (13 Going on 30, Charlotte's Web, Bride Wars). Basically aspiring American writer Sophie Hall (Amanda Seyfried) works for magazine The New Yorker as a fact checker, she goes on a vacation to Verona, Italy with her chef fiancé Victor (Amores Perros's Gael García Bernal). While there Victor is unmoved by the romance of Italy, he is preoccupied to research for his soon to be opening restaurant, he often neglects Sophie, she meanwhile is looking around for something to write about for a magazine article. Sophie explores the courtyard of Verona, most famous for being the setting of William Shakespeare's Romeon and Julet, there thousands of people write letters to the fictional lover, Sophie finds a group of women called the "Secretaries of Juliet", who respond to these letters, using the return addresses. While assisting the women collecting these letters, Sophie knocks a brick out of a wall, and finds an unanswered letter to Juliet, written in 1957, so she decides to respond to the letter, hoping that she will be able to find the woman who wrote it. Soon enough, the now elderly woman, Claire Smith (Vanessa Redgrave), along with her handsome barrister grandson Charlie Wyman (Christopher Egan), arrive in Verona, Sophie and Claire form a friendship, but Charlie and Sophie do not get on with each other. Following Sophie's reply, Claire wishes to find the man the letter was intended for, Sophie thinks that this story could help her writing career, so decides to help her find her long-lost love, Lorenzo Bartolini. The only problem is that Lorenzo Bartolini is a very common name, many live in the area, they spend days searching for the man Claire recognises, with no success, including one Lorenzo being dead. Charlie blames Sophie for Claire's sadness, he says she knows nothing about loss, but Claire tells him that Sophie's mother walked from her when she was little, she wants Charlie to apologise to Sophie, they resolve this argument, and get much closer, to the point when they kiss. The three spend one last day searching for Lorenzo, on a whim they find and stop at a vineyard for a drink, while there Claire spots a young man who is a spitting image of young Lorenzo, they discover he is the grandson of the Lorenzo Bartolini (Franco Nero) they have been looking for, Lorenzo and Claire happily reunite. Sophie returns to New York, Bobby the New Yorker Magazine Editor (Oliver Platt) agrees that the story will appeal to many readers and is pleased to publish it, even asking if she has other stories in the pipeline, Sophie is pleased to say she will look into it. Sophie decides to break off her engagement with Victor, before heading back to Verona to witness Claire and Lorenzo getting married, she sees Charlie with another woman, Patricia (Ashley Lilley), she wrongly assumes he is in love with her, admitting she loves him, he explains that Patricia is his cousin, Charlie also admits his love for Sophie, after a Romeo and Juliet style balcony moment, he falls, and they kiss as he lies on the ground. Also starring Luisa Ranieri as Isabella, Marina Massironi as Francesca and Lidia Biondi as Donatella. Seyfried is beautiful and sweet as the young woman trying to find the perfect story, and Redgrave gives a subtle but great performance as the old woman trying find her past lover, I first thought the story was a bit random, but I went along with it, then I found out it was based on a non-fiction book, it a charming tale of long-lost love, and newfound love along the way, a pleasant romantic drama. Good!
Zoheb Haider
As the title may suggest, this pinky pink movie is all about the eternal love as made famous by the lady of love Juliet. Letters to Juliet sets the theme with an interesting but very believable act of trying to return hope to a long lost lover in the form of a letter that had been awaiting a reply for over 20 years. A story of rekindling romance kept alive by a mere chance and turn of events coming together makes a very soothing watch to anyone who believes that love as an emotion is indeed something more than just physical attraction. The central theme gives away very well to the story of the figurative Secretary of Juliet portrayed by the ever so charming Amanda Seyfried, making her realize that even in the modern world, it is not so hard to just keep looking for that one love story every girl dreams for at some point in her life. The plot is pretty simple and straightforward but the cinematography together with the scenic beauty of Verona, Italy makes for a very fine watch altogether. Vanessa Redgrave is her usual graceful and elegant self, reminding me in particular of one Nafisa Ali, another similar class act from India, both of them being the naturally beautiful ladies of their time. I watched this movie on my cell phone... a shared screen, a shared earphone and some shared unforgettable moments. Will never forget it... :)
Isabella Wijsman
If you haven't seen this movie yet, shame on you! Don't even bother reading through reviews, just buy it and start watching because I promise you, after 1 minute, you're hooked. From the moment this movie begins, it takes you in. You get drawn into the story of life and finding that thing we search for the most: love. The characters in this movie are so well played and the chemistry with the three leads makes you want to get on a plane and visit Italy straight away. I say this because you want to experience that magic of the country yourself and maybe on the way find love as well. You can almost feel the thrill when knocking on a door and waiting for it to open. The feeling that you could be one second away from seeing that person again after so long and wondering if you still recognize each other. Imagine you would write Juliet a letter, left it on the wall and 50 years later got a reply. This movie leaves me with a question every time, because in the old days, people fell in love and if that didn't work out well, they would live their whole life with ache in their heart for the love they lost or couldn't have. We on the other hand, in our modern world with all kinds of ways to communicate with each other would not hesitate to give up on someone after a few months or years. But, had you lived back then, what would you do if after all those years, you got a reply. Ask yourself, what would I do? Still reading this? Stop right now and press play because you already wasted a few minutes of time!
