Serendipity is my favorite movie of all time.
It’s a love story about Sara and Jonathan who meet in New York City on a snowy, winter night. They spend the entire night together, laughing, talking, and having a good time. Sara is a huge believer of destiny and fate, and therefore she doesn’t believe in happy accidents. When the night comes to a close, Sara then proposes that her and Jonathan write their numbers on two items (Sara wrote hers on a book, Jonathan wrote his on a dollar bill), and if they find these items later in life, then they really were meant to be together.
Of course, it’s your typical romantic comedy where the guy loses the girl, then he tries to get her back. It’s super cheesy, maybe a little bit clichéd, but I still think it’s one of the most magical movies every made.
Part of the reason why I think this movie is so intriguing is because it analyzes people’s belief that destiny/fate will lead you to the person you love. In American culture, there’s this widespread belief that there was one special person out there made specifically for you. It’s like the forces of nature all worked together to make sure that you met this person at the right place and the right time. They’re “the one,” they’re your “soul mate,” and you two are supposed to spend the rest of your happy lives together. Now, do I really believe this is all true? Maybe to an extent. But I think that ultimately Americans really give in to this belief because they value relationships. They don’t want to spend their lives alone. They want to believe in magic and happy endings.
I know that this movie isn’t very realistic. Honestly, it probably would never happen in real life. But I think it accurately portray’s Americans’ value of love and relationships, and how in today’s culture, a lot of us are just looking for the person we’re meant to be with.
Favorite Quote: “And if you’re smart enough, you learn from your mistakes. You figure it out. You… you think. You realize that life isn’t some elaborate stage play with directions for the actors. Life’s a mess, Sara. It’s… it’s chaos personified.”
Culture Shock Cinema 