'Remember Me' explores dark themes of tragedy and loss

Twilight star Robert Pattinson sheds his image as a brooding vampire to take on a more serious role in the new romantic drama, Remember Me, a film which Pattinson also co-produced. Pattinson plays Tyler Hawkins, a 22-year-old New Yorker who has become disillusioned with life after the suicide of his older brother and the now growing friction in his relationship with his father. After a scuffle with a city cop, played by Chris Cooper, Tyler, persuaded by a friend, decides to get even by courting the cop's daughter, Ally. But to his surprise, Tyler begins to fall for the beautiful Ally, played by Emilie De Ravin, and their relationship soon becomes threatened by Tyler's initial ill-intentions.

The movie flashes back and forth between Tyler and Ally's relationship and Tyler's interaction with his family. Following the web of characters through a series of dramatic events, the film is themed around love and family, and illustrates how those ties become both strengthened and strained in the midst of tragedy. The film's exploration of the complex relationships that lie within the structure of the family is intriguing, though the film falls short of truly convincing the viewer of the power of romantic love.

While both Pattinson and de Ravin do an excellent job portraying their troubled characters, the chemistry between the two is lacking. Their relationship seems sudden and forced, and the viewer is left wondering if these two are really in love or if they are simply seeking a warm body to ease their growing sense of loneliness.

The relationship between Pattinson and de Ravin's characters grows boring and almost insignificant in the midst of each character's relationship with their fathers. Ally's overbearing and irrational father is a direct contrast to Tyler's father, the stereotypical successful businessman who throws money at his children but cannot see that all they want from him is his time. Cooper, as Ally's father, plays a character that is two-fold; at times, he is violent and a bit dislikable, while at other moments the overwhelming concern he has for his daughter evokes a strong level of sympathy. Former James Bond star Pierce Brosnan plays Tyler's father, and despite all of the flaws of this character, one just can't help but like him.

The most striking relationship in the film is between Tyler and his younger sister, Caroline. Ruby Jerins is fantastic in her role as the introverted yet brilliant young girl who is desperately seeking the love and approval of her family. Pattinson plays the role of a protective older brother wonderfully; the movie is filled with Tyler's sudden outbursts of anger at the first sign of wrong-doing toward his sister, including smashing a classroom window with a fire extinguisher. Both actors do an excellent job of translating a strong familial relationship onto screen, which often tugs at the heartstrings of the audience.

A major shortcoming of this film is its lack of a strong plot. While there is an ongoing romantic plot - boy meets girl, boy falls for girl, conflict arises - which is the supposed focal point of the film - it just does not come across as intensely as the theme of family. In terms of the family, some progress is made in the re-growth of relationships, but the movie feels more like a series of glimpses into powerful moments rather than a fully-developed story. The viewer is left looking for more.

The ending of the film begins to feel a bit rushed, and the viewer wonders how everything can go from complete disarray to a neatly wrapped, happy finale, until a rather tragic plot twist is revealed. This is perhaps the biggest downfall of the film, as so much misfortune has already occurred that it is hard for the viewer to bear yet another blow to this unlucky on-screen family. Though a perfectly happy ending may have been improbable, it would have helped dissipate the overly somber tone of the movie.

If you're looking for a light-hearted romance, Remember Me is not it, despite what the trailer may suggest. It is instead a rather dark film encompassed in tragedy and loss, and though it tries to send an uplifting message about the power of love - both romantic and familial - it is just too bleak and dismal. There is a lot of extraordinary acting in the film, and the family relationships are riveting, though that may not be enough to redeem it, as the viewer walks away from the movie in utterly low spirits. For some films, that can work, but it is just not fitting for this one.