Serendipity

On this episode of Pour The Wine, It’s Rom-Com Time, Garry and Amy take a detour for their very first non-Hallmark movie review! They're diving into Serendipity, one of their all time favorite holiday rom-coms that still feels just as magical nearly 25 years later.

Sarah (Kate Beckinsale) and Jonathan (John Cusack) meet by chance, fall for each other, and leave the future of their relationship in fate's hands. Years later, despite being engaged to other people, they each follow a trail of coincidences, hoping destiny will lead them back together.

Join Garry and Amy as they unpack the question of fate versus choice, revisit the unforgettable meet cute, celebrate the incredibly funny and talented supporting cast, share their favorite moments, and rave about the unforgettable soundtrack.

Pour your favorite beverage, get cozy, and press play!

Send us an email to pourthewineitsromcomtime@gmail.com! We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Music from #Uppbeat

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/mood-of-summer

Transcript

Welcome And Where To Find Us

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Welcome to Pour the Wine. It's rom-com time where we'll sip some wine and review all things rom com on the Hallmark Channel and elsewhere.

SPEAKER_03 0:16

Yes, elsewhere.

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Today we're going to be reviewing a movie that did not air on the Hallmark Channel, but we're really excited about it.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

Yes, we are.

SPEAKER_00 0:26

It's still a rom com. I'm Amy.

SPEAKER_02 0:28

And I'm Gary.

SPEAKER_00 0:30

You can send us an email to pour the wine is romcom time at gmail.com. Let us know your thoughts about anything Hallmark related or send us an email and let us know your thoughts about the movie we are reviewing today. We would love to hear from you.

SPEAKER_02 0:45

We really would. And if you want to help Hallmark fans or romcom fans find us, you can do so by giving us a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. But if you like watching this and watching that, watching this, the face. Head on over to YouTube at Pull the Wine is RomCom Time. Click that subscribe button and the bell so you never miss an episode we drop.

SPEAKER_00 1:09

Don't miss

Trailer Talk Nights Of Christmas

SPEAKER_00 1:10

one. Now, in today's herded through the grapevine segments, we got to see the trailer for the nights of Christmas. Yes, we are. That was released. And that this one is starring Tyler Hines and Lacey Malle, and that's going to be premiering sometime during Countdown to Christmas 2026. Yes, it looks so cute. Mr.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

Dude Bond himself.

SPEAKER_00 1:33

Oh, that's right. That's right. Come on, Hallmark. We're looking for a Hallmarkified James Bond for Tyler Hines. Let's go. But it looks so cute. It's very groundhog day.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Yes, it is. Right? It's very groundhog day-ish.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

Um, but it looks really cute, really sweet. Uh I can't wait. It makes me very excited for the holidays each time we see one of these trailers for the new movies that are coming.

SPEAKER_02 2:00

Oh I just got three words for you.

SPEAKER_00 2:04

What?

SPEAKER_02 2:04

Delicious.

SPEAKER_00 2:07

That's how the movie looks.

SPEAKER_02 2:08

That's how the movie looks. I can't wait.

SPEAKER_00 2:11

It looks really it looks really good.

SPEAKER_01 2:13

Yes, it does.

SPEAKER_00 2:14

Um, and cute and fun. I think it was uh called something about a time loop at one time, the Christmas time. Maybe not. I'm probably wrong, which I am a lot of times, so don't quote me on that. I know now it's called the Nights of Christmas.

SPEAKER_04 2:27

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 2:28

So, but that looks really cute. And so you can probably find that trailer anywhere at this point on YouTube, Hallmark channel, social media. Everybody's posting it. Yep. There you go. Yep, yeah. All right, so today we're going

Why Serendipity For Christmas In July

SPEAKER_00 2:40

to be reviewing our very first non-Hallmark movie, which we are very excited about. We were trying to figure out which one because we've wanted to do other rom coms, right? That we're gonna review and we will be in the future, but this one's perfect timing. We're in Christmas in July, so we are going to be reviewing Serendipity. Serendipity. Yes. Oh my god. I just I cannot express how much we love this film.

SPEAKER_04 3:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:09

Uh, it was originally released in the theaters on October 5th, 2001. So this lovely movie is going to be turning 25.

SPEAKER_02 3:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 3:20

That's in October.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

25.

SPEAKER_00 3:23

Now I saw it when it was in the theaters and loved it from the moment I saw it. And you did not.

SPEAKER_02 3:32

No, I did not.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

Not until we were not together at the time.

SPEAKER_02 3:35

Not until we met in December.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

That's oh yeah. I see what you did there. I see what you did there. Another really good movie, Hallmark Christmas movie. Um, but you didn't watch it until uh what, 2018 is something like that with me. Yeah, or maybe it was probably before that. No, I made you watch it before that. Um 2014, 2015. So you weren't too far behind.

SPEAKER_02 3:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Ish.

SPEAKER_02 4:01

And every year we watch it several times.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

Yes, yes, we we love it. All right, so it stars John Kuzack as Jonathan Traeger, Kay Beckinsale as Sarah Thomas, Jeremy Piven as Dean Kansky, Bridget Moynihan as Hallie Buchanan, Eugene Levy as the Bloomingdale salesman, John Corbett as Lars, and Molly Shannon as Eve.

SPEAKER_02 4:26

Oh wow. Lars, he kills me.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

I know, I know.

SPEAKER_02 4:31

Sarah Dipity was written by Mark Klein and directed by Peter Chelsome. Mark has four other writing credits, with the most recent being 2022, The In Between. And Peter's last film was 2024's A Sudden Case of Christmas. So let's drop the synopsis.

SPEAKER_00 4:52

Alrighty. A couple search for each other years after the night they first met, fell in love, and separated, convinced that one day they'd end up together.

SPEAKER_02 5:03

Do they? Well, uh I shouldn't have to say it because it's been 25 years. But if you haven't seen the movie yet, I would suggest you stop our podcast because we are going to talk about it.

SPEAKER_00 5:15

We are 100% going to drop spoilers.

SPEAKER_02 5:19

Or you can listen to our podcast and then go watch it.

SPEAKER_00 5:22

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

And let us know what you think.

SPEAKER_00 5:23

Either way, either way works.

SPEAKER_02 5:25

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 5:26

All right. So before we dive in and start talking about our

9 11 Context And Fun Facts

SPEAKER_00 5:30

I don't even know if we're going to do our first takes because I loved it. But um before we dive in, I just wanted to bring up a few things. First, you know, this premiered um, you know, just a few weeks after September 11th. And I remember John Kuzak, he went on the Rosie O'Donnell show, and of course her show was based in New York City. And at the time, I think I read somewhere that, you know, he really didn't want to do interviews. It was just a horrifically sad time for the country, you know, for us as a nation. And in it just deep, inexplicable sadness. And I remember him being on that show and saying just something to the effect of um, you know, it was just hard for him to be there promoting it, but he wanted to because he felt like, you know, it was basically like a love story to New York City.

SPEAKER_05 6:17

Right.

SPEAKER_00 6:18

And in fact, when it premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, it premiered just a few days after September 11th, and the Twin Towers were in the movie. And I think one of the opening shots, and uh, it caught the audience by surprise, obviously. And so the studio removed it before it was released um nationwide. Yeah. Now, on a lighter note, if you're a New Yorker, or if you're not, maybe you've heard of it, Serendipity 3 is actually a restaurant in New York City. Yes, it is, and we have had the pleasure of going into Serendipity.

SPEAKER_01 6:52

Oh, fine.

SPEAKER_00 6:53

And having their times we can famous, yes, we did. Um, we had their famous frozen hot chocolate.

SPEAKER_02 7:01

Yeah. Which was delicious. And you know why it has the number three?

SPEAKER_00 7:05

Why?

SPEAKER_02 7:06

Because it was opened or co-founded by three people in 1954.

SPEAKER_00 7:13

1954. It's sort of a staple there in New York and it's so cute, adorable. I think we didn't sit at the table that they sit at in the restaurant. You know what?

SPEAKER_02 7:23

We hadn't seen the movie yet. You just wanted to take me there. I had seen the movie.

SPEAKER_00 7:28

Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. I'm sorry. I saw the movie.

SPEAKER_02 7:31

And that's why you wanted to go. But I hadn't seen it yet. And I told you if I had seen it, we would have waited for that table.

SPEAKER_00 7:39

Uh correct.

SPEAKER_02 7:40

And it's upstairs. That is correct.

SPEAKER_00 7:41

But we were lucky just to get in and all that. Yeah, we went because it's very crowded.

SPEAKER_02 7:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Because it's famous. Um, Kate Beckinsale's character Sarah was originally going to be an American character. And when the director Peter heard her audition in her American accent, he asked her to do it in her British, her natural British accent, and that one over and she became British.

SPEAKER_02 8:07

There you go.

SPEAKER_00 8:08

And then there's a scene where um Jonathan, the character Jonathan, played by John Kuzack, um, he kind of kicks some snow and it sort of hits one of the extras. And it actually he didn't mean to do it. And so that scene is like legitimately real where he apologized. He's like, Oh, sorry, sorry. He didn't he didn't mean to do that. So that was like a real and Peter decided to leave it in the film.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

So there's just a few that is so cute. Oh my gosh.

SPEAKER_00 8:34

I had to throw those in. We just love the movie. Our friends Rich and Renee over at Forever Hallmark Christmas. Go listen to them. They always do some like behind-the-scenes fun facts. These we just happen to do because I love the movie so much. These are things that are in my brain since forever.

SPEAKER_02 8:49

And they have the mistletoe meter.

SPEAKER_00 8:52

They do have the mistletoe meter.

SPEAKER_02 8:54

He greats the kiss at the end of this scene at the end of the movie. So I would be interested in hearing what grade they would give this one. Because it was beautifully done.

SPEAKER_00 9:05

Oh, beautifully done.

SPEAKER_02 9:07

Beautifully done.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

Beautifully done, he says. All right.

First Takes Fate Vs Choice

SPEAKER_00 9:10

So let's get into. I guess we can sort of talk about, we always talk about our first takes, but in this case it would be my like eight millionth case take. What about you?

SPEAKER_02 9:23

Oh, what did I think? Yeah, what'd you think? Oh man, I loved it. I mean, the the premise behind the movie. You know, you got one who believes in fate, one who believes in choice together. It's yin and yang. You have a love story over years. They never forget that one night that they met. I mean, what an impression on somebody, right?

unknown 9:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 9:48

Kind of like when me and you met.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_02 9:52

But yeah, I mean, I just I I and the music. Oh gosh.

SPEAKER_00 9:58

Not even getting me started on that.

SPEAKER_02 9:59

You know, I'm a uh you're a big fan of the music, and I'm a big fan because it sets the mood of the scene, and great job. Great job.

SPEAKER_00 10:06

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 10:07

So yes. Yes. Christmas magic, love story. It's got all the ingredients. Oh, love it.

SPEAKER_00 10:15

I just oh God. I just adore this movie. I I cannot express enough how much I like it. It has, and we're gonna talk about it a little bit later. It has one of my probably all-time favorite, one of the top, one of my top all-time favorite scenes in a movie, like ever is in this movie. And I talk about it relentlessly. I know you get sick about it. I don't know. Every time I watch it, we get goosebumps. I tear up. It is so powerful and so good. Oh, and like you said, you know, when I first saw this, one of the things that I loved, it's funny, it's light, it's you know, John Kuzak's so charismatic in it, and Kate Beckinsale's so great, and there's so much comedy in it throughout Eugene. Yeah, Jeremy Pivot. I mean, everybody is just so good in this. It like fires on every cylinder in my mind. And the music. When I tell you I left the theater, I I left saying, I'm getting the soundtrack. I know all of the songs. The the original composed music is perfection. Yeah. The songs that they use in it. Hello, Annie Lennox looking at you, waiting in vain. Um, you know, I just I love everything

The Bloomingdale’s Meet Cute Breakdown

SPEAKER_00 11:30

about this movie. So it's not going to be a shock when I rate it at the end. But okay. All right. All right.

SPEAKER_02 11:37

Let's talk about the Meat Cute.

SPEAKER_00 11:39

Should we unwrap the meat, the Merry Meat Cute?

SPEAKER_02 11:42

Oh, let's unwrap it.

SPEAKER_00 11:43

Let's unwrap it.

SPEAKER_02 11:45

So, how do they meet?

SPEAKER_00 11:47

You want me to tell it? You tell it. All right. So they are shopping. It is close to Christmas. The stores are packed, and they both reach for the same pair of gloves that are on the shelf in Bloomingdales.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 11:59

Right?

SPEAKER_02 12:00

The black cashmere gloves.

SPEAKER_00 12:03

Right. So, um, I don't think that I so they reach for the same gloves, and they're both like, you can have it, no, you can have it, no, you can have it. And so, you know, I think Jonathan's the one who puts them back and's like, no, you take it. And he puts it back for her to take it. And then another guy walks up and he goes to grab it, and they're like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. This really belongs to us. And he's like, Well, it's still on the rack, you know. And so, and so they proceed to kind of make up a story. Right. And they each kind of, you know how you go, and then she walked down the elevator and then with her new boyfriend. Right, right. And they kind of go back and forth and they make up, they make up a story, and then it ends up not working. The guy doesn't believe it, obviously, and they kind of joke about it, and he walks away, and then they end up getting the gloves.

SPEAKER_04 12:50

One of them does. Right. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 12:52

Right. Well, they they part, she gets in a cat, or no, they they decide to go to serendipity.

SPEAKER_05 13:00

Right.

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Right? Right. They get the gloves, they decide to go to serendipity. Um, they're sitting there, they have just this great conversation, and they do talk about the word serendipity and how it means a fortunate accident. And she doesn't believe in accidents, which is what you said. Um, she thinks fate is behind everything. They part ways. Bye-bye. See you later. Don't get numbers back in those days. Didn't have the quick cell phone. You could, you know, right, get your number in. Um, they leave the song that's playing is called Moonlight Kiss Perfection in that moment. Just gonna say I agree. They both realize they have forgotten something at serendipity. They both go back to serendipity to pick it up, and they're both there at the same time.

SPEAKER_02 13:45

Yes. And she believes it's fate.

SPEAKER_00 13:49

It's fate. So then he's like, Don't go, let's do something. And she's like, What do you want to do? And just the way he looks at her, oh my gosh. Yes, they go ice skating. I mean, it's a long meet cute, right? Because they they have that initial and then they part and then they come back together. They go ice skating, they're asking each other questions, which you know it is. We're we are a Hallmark podcast, so we won't go into all the questions, but yeah, he's just openly flirting with her, and you know, he says his favorite movie is Cool Hand Luke, and it's snowing.

SPEAKER_04 14:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:22

Um, and then they have a moment where they're she falls on the ice after saying something, you know.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:30

And then she falls on the ice, he's kind of mending her arm, and she has freckles because she's British, you know, when she says the curse of the British, right? The curse of the British. And then they talk about Cassiopeia. Yes. Right, which are constellation in the sky. Um, I'm trying to run through it quickly because it is kind of meat key. Yeah. And then, you know, what's great is she finally gives him her name and number on a piece of paper, right? She finally decides, okay, I'm gonna give it to you. And she goes to hand it to him, and a truck goes by and blows the paper, and there's all these papers over the sidewalk. So he's like, that was an accident. And she goes, No, that was that was fate.

SPEAKER_02 15:16

You know, it was fate telling us to stop it.

SPEAKER_00 15:18

To stop it, right? So then she has him write his name and phone number down on a five-dollar bill. And he's like, Oh, you are a strange woman, you know, and he's writing it and then an interesting and something woman and gives it to her. And she goes to a vendor and buys something, and he's like, What did you just do? And she said, Well, when it makes its way back to me, then you'll believe, you know, then you're gonna call it and you hear my voice on the other end, then you'll realize. Yep, yeah. And then, and then he says, Well, that's not fair because you know, um, your name isn't out in the universe in anything. So then they go and they buy a book.

SPEAKER_02 15:57

No, she has it in her purse.

SPEAKER_00 15:58

Or she has it in her purse, right, right, right. Go ahead, tell that part.

SPEAKER_02 16:02

So she pulls out a book, and what's the name of the book? Because I didn't write it down.

SPEAKER_00 16:07

It's Love in the Time of Cholera. Cholera, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:11

And that was also in the movie Um An American in Austin.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

I recognize the book, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 16:19

That was really, really good too. And so she writes her information in there, and he's like, Okay, so what do we do? And she says, Well, tomorrow I'm gonna wake up and I'm gonna go to a used bookstore and sell it to them. And then if it makes its way back to you, then we know it's it's fate.

SPEAKER_00 16:37

Right. And he's like, which one? And she's like, I can't tell you.

SPEAKER_02 16:42

So and then as they're walking, she decides, because she still has they're still on a date. Well, it's not really a date, right? They decide to go into the hotel, the what is it, the ward Waldorf story. And she says, You wait on this side, I'll wait on this side, we'll push the elevator buttons, and you pick a floor, I'll pick a floor, and if we end up on the same floor, then it was meant to be.

SPEAKER_00 17:08

Right. They get in elevators across from each other. Across from each other. Right.

SPEAKER_02 17:11

So they he still doesn't know her name yet.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

Right.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

So as they get in the elevator, and as the elevators are closing, she says, My name's Sarah, and she throws the bag with one cashmere glove in it. She kept the other one and threw it to him, and he caught it, and the elevator doors close.

SPEAKER_00 17:35

No, just getting up a little bit more.

SPEAKER_02 17:36

So she picks number 23 and he's kind of frustrated, and he ends up picking 23.

SPEAKER_00 17:42

They both picked the same numbers.

SPEAKER_02 17:45

But as you can guess, it didn't work because someone got on his elevator. A little kid. A little kid dressed in a devil's costume with his dad, who ended up pushing every button on the elevator.

SPEAKER_00 18:02

As kids do.

SPEAKER_02 18:03

As kids do. As kids do. So, anyways, to make a long story short, they do end up finally making it up to the 23rd floor, but as they're coming out, she's going in to go back down.

SPEAKER_00 18:16

And and that's the meat cute.

SPEAKER_02 18:18

That's the meat cute.

Meet Cute Rating And Setup

SPEAKER_02 18:20

So there you go. So, how are you gonna rate this one?

SPEAKER_00 18:24

Um, I'm gonna rate this one. Oh, did you write down our oh you know what?

SPEAKER_02 18:31

I forgot to write it down.

SPEAKER_00 18:33

Oh our um, oh wait, all right, wait, wait. I think I'm okay. Mary and Bright, Snow Much Potential, or Ho ho no, it didn't work.

SPEAKER_02 18:42

How about ho ho, yes?

SPEAKER_00 18:44

You can't use ho ho in the beginning. It's Mary and Brighton, Mary and Bright.

SPEAKER_02 18:48

Mary and Bright for me. It was the coolest Me Cute I've ever seen in a movie.

SPEAKER_00 18:52

Right. And so they have the Me Cute, they kind of separate initially, then they come back together and they have this long, like like you said, first date.

SPEAKER_04 18:59

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 19:00

Right, and it goes on and they still don't really, you know, she doesn't know his name at all. No, he tells her name. Oh no, he tells her. He tells her his name. Right. So she knows it's Jonathan. She finally says it's Sarah, but that's all that they know.

SPEAKER_04 19:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:14

Yeah. And if you watched We Met in December on the Hallmark Channel, that is a Hallmark movie. It's very similar.

SPEAKER_02 19:21

Very similar and very good. To this movie. But I digress. Okay. So you want to go into some favorite scenes?

SPEAKER_00 19:29

Okay. I will, I'm going to try to limit mine to just a couple. Now, I'm going to preface this by saying I love everything about this movie.

SPEAKER_04 19:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

I could talk about every

Best Scenes Lars Dean And Near Misses

SPEAKER_00 19:40

scene that I love, and we would be here for two hours.

SPEAKER_04 19:42

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 19:43

So I'm going to really try. I'm going to limit my scenes. I'm going to try. I'm going to try. I'm trying to try. All right. So one of my the one I'll talk about is one of my favorite scenes. So they separate. Time goes by. We don't know how many years. Although I did read it was supposed to be about seven years, but I'm not sure that that's accurate. But anyway, to me.

SPEAKER_05 20:03

Right.

SPEAKER_00 20:04

Um they are with different people at the time. Right. They're both engaged. Well, one is getting engaged and one is engaged to be married.

SPEAKER_05 20:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 20:15

And so we sort of see we see Jonathan in his new life at his um sort of rehearsal dinner type of thing. Right, where the families have gathered and he is marrying someone different who's not Sarah. It's Hallie, you know, played by Bridget Moynen. And then and then we go to Sarah's life. We see her, she is in uh San Francisco. Yeah. I think she takes the fairy. And this is where, and so she's a she's a um like a therapist in training, right? And then there's this great, you know, she's got a client or whatever, but then it goes into the music starts for waiting in vain by Annie Lennox. It's just the music. It picks up, she takes the fairy home, she walks in, she's got the cutest hat on, her little coat is uh the wardrobe was so good too, the costuming. Um, and the song is playing, and she walks into her house and it's like slow motion, all these rose petals kind of go up in the air, and they so they show her kind of step into the house, and it's been all these candles are lit and it's dark, and she's got these boxes, and it's like a box within a box within a box within a box within a box, right? Like those uh Russian dolls, you know. Yeah, yeah. But it's really I just love I love the way the music is playing in that scene. I love the slow motion of the pedals. I love the way she walks in, she starts smiling. I love the way she's dressed, and then we meet Lars for the first time, played by John Corbett, and he comes out. And I just that's one of my one of my favorite scenes, I think, because the music just invoked that whole scene. Yes, and that's why I loved it so much.

SPEAKER_02 21:51

Yeah, it's it definitely set the mood for that scene. Yeah. And then, you know, in that scene, he tries to put the ring on her finger, and guess what? But it doesn't fit.

SPEAKER_00 22:01

It doesn't fit.

SPEAKER_02 22:02

And he's like, no, no, no, it's not a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 22:03

No, you're not gonna look into it. You're not gonna look into it. Right. But what's great is now she's a therapist and she gets asked, Do you really believe in, you know, and she kind of says she doesn't, you know? Like she's no longer believes in fate. Or that's what she tells her clients, right?

SPEAKER_02 22:18

Yeah, yeah. So that was funny. Yeah. Um what about you? One of mine was Lars at the uh, I guess it's a bar, and he's this new age mus musician. It's kind of like I guess Indian music, and he plays this flute. And he gets so into it. And I heard that he had practiced to play, or he he practiced enough so that it looked like he actually was. Oh, really? I didn't know that. I looked it up, but it was actually musicians, real musicians, that actually made made the song. But it was so funny the way he just gets into it and and he's getting ready to go on tour, you know, in Europe. They sold out like 11 gigs or something. So it was just such a cute and fun scene.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:11

And the music, I just love it. Every time I every time somebody says 7DP, that's the first thing that comes to my mind is that music.

SPEAKER_00 23:22

Yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 23:24

All right. So what's another one of yours?

SPEAKER_00 23:26

Um, I loved every scene with Jeremy Piven. Oh my god. I could go through every scene where, you know, Jonathan, he's getting married, but he can't get Sarah out of his head. So they both end up on this quest to find each other. That's sort of the premise of the film, right? And they they try to find each other, it's about finding clues and all that, but they just he's so funny in it. I just because you know, he's he's like this. I'm not gonna, you know, uh Jeremy Pivin's character, Dean, Dean, right? Yeah, Dean.

SPEAKER_03 23:54

Right.

SPEAKER_00 23:54

He's like, um, you know, I'm not gonna be any part of this. I don't want any part of this. And then he's following Jonathan around. They're going to all these bookstores to try to find the book, and they're, you know, and this is years later. So it's just I just love his character. I just throw that in there. So there is a scene. So oh gosh, I don't even know which scene to go to. Um, I just love them all so much. But there's a scene where it's Eugene, um, Jeremy, and John. Yeah. They all have to go to um like the warehouse where they keep receipts because they have realized Jonathan has found a receipt and they're trying to track down where Sarah lived so they can try to find out where she lived in New York. And they don't know she doesn't live there anymore, but they're trying to track it down. And there's just a scene between Eugene and Jeremy Piven. They're looking through all these boxes. Now, these are the old days before everything was, you know, on a computer, digitized, and they're looking carbon copies, right? And they're looking through receipts. And it's just so funny the banter between them because Eugene Levy's like, you know, well, what do you do? Now, in the meantime, Jeremy Piven's character, Dean, he works at the New York Times and he writes obituaries, but he doesn't say that. So Eugene, he's like, so so Jeremy tries to, you know, oh, I work for a little publication. You know, I don't know if you've heard of it, New York Times. Like he's trying to act like he's like this big reporter, right? And he's not. And Eugene Levy's like, oh, and then his Jeremy's phone rings and he doesn't pick it up, but Eugene Levy does, and he's like, hello. And then he gets information on the phone, it's somebody calling, asking if he's written the obituary. So he finds out who it is. And just Jeremy and Eugene in this moment have this like back and forth banter that I just I every time I watch it, I find it hysterical. I mean, I cannot, you know, and they're like, I'm the one with the last word. That's what Jeremy says because you're right, you know, and and Eugene Levy's like, not tonight, you're not, you know. And then it's so I just think it's I love that whole I love that whole scene, the banter between them.

SPEAKER_02 25:54

Yeah, it was so good. Yeah, you know, the supporting cast for them. Yes.

SPEAKER_00 25:59

Um uh, you know, uh Dean for for um uh John Kuzack and uh Well Jeremy Pivens Dean, right, right, right for Eve for Sarah.

SPEAKER_02 26:12

Yes, Sarah's best friend. They were so good in that.

SPEAKER_00 26:15

So good.

SPEAKER_02 26:16

And that brings up my second one is uh when so Sarah tricks Eve into going to New York because she thinks they're going there for her birthday, for Eve's birthday, but actually she wants to do uh try one more time to find John. So they go to basically all the places that uh Sarah and John went to. And one of them was a golf range, you know, those three-tier golf ranges.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

Well, her and her and Jonathan didn't Sarah and Jonathan didn't go to that.

SPEAKER_02 26:50

No, but you're right, but he had talked about it, so she went there, and it's funny because Well, wait a minute, wait a minute.

SPEAKER_00 26:59

She went there because she found the flyer.

SPEAKER_02 27:01

Right, but John had told her what he did. He did?

SPEAKER_00 27:04

He said he was at that oh okay.

SPEAKER_02 27:07

He he was sho shooting a series for it or something, which his company was actually there when Sarah showed up.

SPEAKER_00 27:13

Right, he's like a producer.

SPEAKER_02 27:15

And it's so funny because John, prior to all that, had been chewing gum and he stuck it behind the seat, the bench seat, and Sarah ends up sitting on that bench and she puts her hand behind the bench and she actually touches the gum. Oh, yeah. Those little things like that, the near misses. And poor Eve, she she she gets hit by a golf ball and hit in the head when a guy does his back swing. Yeah, it was so well shot and so well done. Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 27:49

It's so kind of like um physical comedy, too, in it, which is which it kind of totally works. You know, Molly Shannon's gonna do anything.

SPEAKER_05 27:57

Yes, she's usually up for anything.

SPEAKER_00 27:59

But yeah, but I think I think what's important in that too is they're they're kind of Sarah has gone to New York City, sort of like fly by the seat of your pants. She's just gonna let fate take her wherever, you know, this whole the part of the whole gig, right? So they decide to stay at the Waldorf Astoria, coincidentally enough. And then they go out walking, and that's kind of when they see the guy in the golf. He's like dressed up as a T with a golf on his head, right? And they kind of get tangled up in him, and that's where the flyers are. So it's like you said, it's all about these clues and hints and going with it in the moment. And yeah, it and it's like that throughout the entire movie. It was so good.

SPEAKER_02 28:40

So, what was another one of yours?

SPEAKER_00 28:42

Um what do I want to talk about before I get to the scene? The scene. Um, there were just so many good ones, you know, the the the near misses that they had, like you just talked about the whole time. There's one where um Jonathan and Dean show up at what they um think was the last known address.

SPEAKER_05 29:05

Right.

SPEAKER_00 29:06

But it's actually now a bridal studio, which happens to be right next door to Serendipity.

SPEAKER_05 29:11

Right.

SPEAKER_00 29:12

And they show up as Sarah and um uh Eve are leaving in the cab. Right. So there's like just this near miss, and it's towards the end of the night where they're both kind of just at the point where they're about to give up on what's going on. Yeah, and um so yeah, I just all the new misses for everybody. All the new misses. Well, there's just there's so many funny moments, and you know, you and I quote them like all year long, and you know, did you have any other favorite scenes before I talk about mine?

SPEAKER_02 29:46

No, let's talk about that because I also have mine at the end too.

SPEAKER_00 29:50

Is yours the airplane one?

SPEAKER_02 29:52

No, no, but it it kind of leads into all that too.

SPEAKER_00 29:55

So okay, all right.

SPEAKER_02 29:56

Alright, so go ahead.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

So, my very favorite scene in this movie and almost in any movie I've ever seen, it's it's up there as top. So Jonathan is getting married, right? And there is a rehearsal. He has tried to look for um Sarah. For Sarah, and he even at one point flies out to California and then makes it back. Oh no, no, no, no, not yet. Sorry.

SPEAKER_01 30:23

Not yet.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Pause, please. Pause that one. So they're having they're having the rehearsal, and he's been looking for this book, Love in the Time of Cholera. Cholera. I don't know why that I can't say he's been looking for that book for years because she wrote her name and number in the book, right? So they have their rehearsal and he's distracted during the rehearsal because he's thinking about trying to find Sarah. And um what was I gonna say? Um Holly introduces uh Eve ends up at the rehearsal because it turns out she was she went to college with Haley.

SPEAKER_02 31:01

Haley, yeah, or Hallie.

SPEAKER_00 31:02

Right. Hal Hallie, yeah. And um after everyone leaves, they go through the rehearsal. Everyone leaves, and Jonathan and Hallie sit down, and Hallie's upset because he's been distracted, you know, and she's like, I you know, I want you to have, I don't want your feet to be cold, call me crazy, I want you in it to win it kind of thing.

SPEAKER_05 31:24

Right.

SPEAKER_00 31:24

And then she gives him she gives him a gift, you know, like the the typical bride to the groom gift the night before the wedding, and he's like, Oh, you know, I forgot yours, and he opens it and it's the book.

SPEAKER_01 31:38

It's the book.

SPEAKER_00 31:40

And I'm just gonna say that I just gotta say something. The music in that moment, the look on his face, the watering of the eyes. Yes, he opens it up and the name is there with the number.

unknown 32:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:03

I can't take it every time I watch it. I cannot take that moment in that movie. It is so good. It is oh my gosh, it's so glad when he looks at her and he's like, it's it's a perfect gift, you know, and then he gets into they leave, he gets into the cab where Jeremy Piven's character, Dean, is waiting for him because they're supposed to go, you know, whip it up for a little bit, right? Doing the bachelor party, and he just hands him the book. And Jeremy Piven is like, oh my god. You know, just the look of shock on his face, and he looks it up, and then you know, Jonathan takes Jeremy's phone out of his pocket, hands it to him so he can call the New York Times and get an address for that phone number. Yeah, and it is just it's my one of my all-time favorites. Just love it, love it, love it.

SPEAKER_02 32:58

Yes, it was a perfect scene. And the funny thing about it is she got it for him because he was always looking for it. And she just thought he wanted the book.

SPEAKER_00 33:09

Right, right.

SPEAKER_02 33:10

He really liked the book, right? Not knowing it was the book.

SPEAKER_00 33:13

He was looking for a specific thing, he wasn't just looking for it. Yeah. Yeah. Ah my favorite. So did you have more after?

SPEAKER_02 33:23

My last one was when Sarah she kind of gives up and she gets

Full Circle Moments And Chemistry Uncorked

SPEAKER_02 33:30

on the plane, but Eve is staying because Eve is gonna go to the wedding. And she's sitting there, and the steward this flight attendant comes by and she goes, You want a pair of headsets? And she's like, Sure. And she pulls out a wallet, and it's Eve's wallet that she had bought at a street vendor, and instead of it being Prada, it was Prado.

SPEAKER_00 33:50

Prado.

SPEAKER_02 33:51

And the lady was like, But is there money in it? Is there money? There was. So Sarah pulls out a $5 bill and hands it to the um flight attendant, and the scene kind of slows down a little bit, and the flight attendant turns to the person across the aisle, and Sarah notices that the $5 bill is the one that Jonathan wrote his name and number on. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_00 34:17

Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_02 34:18

So she takes the five and gets off the plane because she has to call him and she has to contact him.

SPEAKER_00 34:26

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 34:27

So that was one of my Yes, it's so good.

SPEAKER_00 34:30

It's so good. So they both have that moment of finally the thing getting back to them.

SPEAKER_05 34:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 34:38

Right. And what's great is that five dollar bill actually Eve picks it up in serendipity. I think that was kind of cool too. She's picking up the change and she leaves a little bit for a tip, but she just picks up the five and puts it in her wallet at that moment. So now the audience knows that Eve has it.

SPEAKER_03 34:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 34:59

And then they accidentally, you know, mix up their wallets. I don't remember seeing that part happen, maybe, but they just because they had they both had Prada and Prado wallets.

SPEAKER_01 35:10

Right. That's funny. So that's really good.

SPEAKER_00 35:13

This is really good.

SPEAKER_01 35:14

All right.

SPEAKER_00 35:15

So you have those like full circle moments.

SPEAKER_01 35:17

Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 35:18

And then I have to say just one more thing before we get into the rest. Um, so there's the part where, so you said Sarah finally finds his number and she goes to his address, and they're like, Oh, he's getting married. He probably already is already. So then she goes, it's the wedding, of course, is at the Waldorf Astoria. Right. So she she rushes there and she goes in and there's no one in there, and there's like a janitor cleaning up the chairs. And he basically tells her the wedding never happened, right? And she's standing there with one of the gloves, right? She's standing with one of the gloves and she's crying, but she's kind of laughing a little bit. And she said, Oh, that's terrible. But she's laughing. And I remember the audience laughing at that. I specifically being in the everybody cracked up at that. And just because she was, you know, her face, like, you know, the janitor was probably like, Oh, she's really sad, but she was really internally kind of excited that the wedding didn't happen, you know. So it's just such a good moment to be in the theater. And yeah, it was really cool.

SPEAKER_02 36:16

She rushed in and said, Don't do it. And the janitor was like, What? She goes, Did it happen? And she goes, he was like, No, or you missed it or something. So she thought he actually got married. And as she turned to go walk out, he said, He called it off. And then that's when she turns around and she has tears. She's like, He called it off. She kind of giggles away.

SPEAKER_00 36:39

It's so good. It's so good. Oh, it was so good. Yep. It's so good.

SPEAKER_01 36:44

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 36:45

And then, you know, we we just have the ending where they finally, you know, like we've said all along, there's all these like near misses, and they end up in places where the other one was, and there are clues there, and they're kind of it is sort of fate-ish, serendipity, serendipitous, right? And so he ends up they end up at the ice skating rink, which they had been at during the Meet Cute, and um he's laying in the center of the country. Looking up in the center of it. He's got her coat. He doesn't know it's her coat. She left it on the bench that they sat at years before, and she gets at there earlier that night. Telling Lars it was over. Telling Lars, yeah. So she um so he's got her coat, and then it starts snowing. And then, because this is one of your favorite parts.

SPEAKER_02 37:37

I think this is one of my favorite parts, because then the glove comes floating down and lands on his chest, and he's kind of like, What? And he has the other glove next to him on the ground, right? So he's he's looking at it, and then you know that expression where you're like, wait a minute, did this just happen? And then music kicks in and it sets this up so well. And he turns and sees her across the rink, and she's got tears coming down her eyes, and he stands up and has that look like it's almost like that um home alone when Kevin, his mother, finally comes home and he sees her, and he's kind of like only this is a different type of look. He doesn't know whether to be mad or or happy or whatever.

SPEAKER_00 38:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 38:26

And oh my god. And here's where Rich and Renee have to grade the kiss.

SPEAKER_00 38:32

The kiss.

SPEAKER_02 38:33

Because they serendipity in the middle. They introduce themselves for real, and then they kiss, and the camera pans from one side of them all the way to the other side. And oh my goodness. And then it moves into the future and they're still kissing.

SPEAKER_00 38:53

Yeah. At Bloomingdales.

SPEAKER_02 38:54

At Bloomingdale's.

SPEAKER_00 38:55

And Eugene Levy shows up where he works.

SPEAKER_02 38:59

There, uh, that's where they celebrate every year. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 39:02

Because that's where they met.

SPEAKER_02 39:03

Yeah. So there you have it.

SPEAKER_00 39:05

Oh, okay. We'll try it. We did not too bad. Not too bad. Yeah. Um, all right. So let's talk about our newest segment, Chemistry Uncorked. So for the chemistry between the two lead characters, which bottle of wine are you uncorking?

Wait What Cheers Ratings And Farewell

SPEAKER_00 39:20

A grand reserve, which is electric and unforgettable. I think I know. Estate, warm and convincing, or house wine, yeah, kind of flat, serviceable. You'll drink it, but okay, yeah. Grand reserve for sure. 100%. 100%.

SPEAKER_02 39:34

100%.

SPEAKER_00 39:35

All right. Do you have any wait what moments?

SPEAKER_02 39:37

Yes, I do have a wait what, and that's the glove falling on his chest.

SPEAKER_00 39:42

So I say that every time we watch it.

SPEAKER_02 39:46

She would have had to throw, I mean, no one could have thrown it.

SPEAKER_00 39:50

It sort of defies the laws of physics, that gloves.

SPEAKER_02 39:52

Yeah, I mean, it's snowing, it's kind of windy. Can she do it? I don't think so, but it works, and you get the idea.

SPEAKER_00 40:01

But that was my only weight what that's the Hallmark cheesy moment in it, right?

SPEAKER_02 40:05

Because it kind of brings it all full circle.

SPEAKER_00 40:07

So the glove.

SPEAKER_02 40:09

The gloves are back together again.

SPEAKER_00 40:10

It works, but I agree. I had that as one of my wait what's I do.

SPEAKER_02 40:14

So did you have any more?

SPEAKER_00 40:15

So there's a part where um Dean has written an obituary for Jonathan.

SPEAKER_02 40:22

That was so good.

SPEAKER_00 40:23

And Jonathan is reading it, and you know, this is after they have gone to California to try to find her, and he they see a couple having a good time in a house in San Francisco, and it is not Sarah and Lars, but they think it is.

SPEAKER_05 40:40

Right.

SPEAKER_00 40:41

So they go back home, he calls off the wedding. Dean has written this obituary for him, and Jonathan is walking around New York City, which he ends up at the ice skating rink.

SPEAKER_05 40:53

Right.

SPEAKER_00 40:53

Um, he walks for a really it took him a long time to read that letter.

SPEAKER_04 40:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 40:57

It was it was like mid-afternoon when he started, and then by the end it was like nighttime. So I'm just, you know, there was a little time lapse there that I wasn't sure about. So but you know, I go with it because I love them. I can forgive that. Yeah, I can forgive it from that.

SPEAKER_02 41:13

Before Dean gave him the obituary to read, he said, you know, the Greeks didn't write obituaries, they only asked one question after a man died. Did he have passion? I thought that was that was pretty cool. That was strong.

SPEAKER_00 41:26

And we gotta talk about you're the shit on the plane.

SPEAKER_02 41:31

Oh my god.

SPEAKER_00 41:32

We're just I could go on and on and on. Okay, I won't go into that scene, but it's a cool scene between Dean and Jonathan on the plane where Dean Dean's relationship has fallen apart.

SPEAKER_02 41:43

Yes, he was he's married.

SPEAKER_00 41:45

He's not jealous, but he's like, There's not enough of this of the you know, of the book of searching for the one that got away and all that, and keeping it alive, they let it die, and that's when he's says to Jonathan, you're the shit. Jonathan's like, I'm the shit. That's me.

SPEAKER_02 42:00

Yeah, he is, he was.

SPEAKER_00 42:02

I just love it. I just love it. So all right. So let's get into cheers.

SPEAKER_02 42:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 42:07

Briefly.

SPEAKER_02 42:09

Just everything, the music, how one brief encounter has such a profound effect on on these two.

SPEAKER_00 42:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 42:17

Even though they were with someone else, and you know, it's true. Like if you're not happy, life is you only get one. Um, and it's not fair to you or the other person. So be honest and, you know, move on.

SPEAKER_00 42:32

Well, I think go for it if you if you have that attraction, if you have if you if it's something you can't explain, if it's, you know, and it's not necessarily that they were unhappy, it just they didn't, you know, it wasn't the one. Right. You know, and they were settling.

SPEAKER_04 42:47

Right.

SPEAKER_00 42:48

And so you never want to settle. And it's so hard to say when you, you know, when you meet somebody, and everything's not gonna be fireworks all the time, you know, like we get it, but but it is like when you're drawn to somebody like that, go for it, try it, see. You don't have to get married, but you can at least you gotta, you know, try it out. Don't let the moment pass. And today, especially, so much easier to get someone's number and you know, find out. Well, I don't want to say stalk them and find out their information, but I mean like when you meet them, you have your phone, you have your cell phone, you can, you know social media. Social media, you can, you know, you can connect that way. It makes it so much easier. So yeah.

SPEAKER_02 43:24

What about you? Do you have any chance?

SPEAKER_00 43:25

I I agree. I have loved this from the moment I saw it. I love the story. I always have loved John Kuzack. He is, of course, 80s. Hello, you know. Just love the 80s. Um, and Kate Beckinsale's so good in it, they're all so good in it. I just thought it was it was light and funny and just romantic, and it makes you just want to go after the one, you know. It just and the music, and I love how everything ended up being a clue for something else, and they cross paths without knowing it. And yeah, just the way it was written, the way it was filmed, the pacing of the movie, I thought was really, really good.

SPEAKER_02 44:02

And get the soundtrack and get the soundtrack.

SPEAKER_00 44:07

Well, yeah. Well, I mean, the truth is if somebody doesn't want to be with you, why do you want to stay? It might hurt, right? But why do you want to try to stay with somebody or be angry about somebody who's telling you the truth?

SPEAKER_05 44:19

Right.

SPEAKER_00 44:20

I mean it hurts, it sucks. We've all been there, you know? Yeah, but yeah, get the soundtrack, download the soundtrack, as many songs from it as you can. It is so, so good. Ugh. All right, any jeers?

SPEAKER_02 44:35

No, no jeers at all.

SPEAKER_00 44:37

You are not gonna get any notes from this girl. No, nope, nope. All right, so what was your tinsel top moment?

SPEAKER_02 44:44

Um, well, I've I had two, and that's when he opens the book, the present, and realizes it's the book that he's been looking for. And on the ice skate rink or on the rink when he's laying down and the glove comes down and they meet. Those are my two. What about you?

SPEAKER_00 45:03

It's the book. When he gets the book, when Hallie gives him the book at the wedding, his face, the music. Yeah, the whole moment is amazing. All right, out of five ornaments, how many are you hanging on the trees?

SPEAKER_01 45:15

There's five. Just five, five, five, five, five.

SPEAKER_02 45:20

Yeah, but there's five. There you go.

SPEAKER_00 45:22

All right.

SPEAKER_02 45:23

So is that a wrap?

SPEAKER_00 45:24

That is a wrap.

SPEAKER_02 45:26

Okay. Well, thank you for listening. And again, if you want to help Halmart fans or rom com fans find our podcast, you can do so by giving us a five-star rating on Apple or Spotify. And if you want to, again, look at this and that, head on over to YouTube at Poor The Wine Stroncom Time. Don't forget to hit the bell and the subscribe button so you don't miss any of our episodes.

SPEAKER_00 45:47

Make sure you follow us wherever you get your podcasts and on Instagram and TikTok. That's our focus on the social media. That is true. So you don't miss a thing. Until next time. Cheers.