The Queerview Mirror: Imagine Me & You
By Attention: this post might contain spoilers for those who haven’t seen the 2005 British-American movie.
We meet Rachel on her wedding day. She is marrying Heck, a lovely young man with s promising career and all the good stuff that makes for a great husband in him. You could say they’re a match made in heaven.
Enters the florist Luce, and it seems like Rachel had no idea what love was after all.
The connection between the two women is established in the first scenes, when Rachel is walking up the aisle to meet Heck, and Luce is walking out of the church after finishing the flower arrangements. Their eyes lock, and, apparently, love is found.
Now, I have to start by saying that this movie isn’t great. There’s no great conflict, it’s not incredibly deep, it doesn’t really get you thinking. It’s actually pure fluff – with British accents as a bonus.
Piper Perabo is cute as Rachel, and that is all. And while Lena Hadley (yes, Queen Cersei!) amazingly creates a multidimensional character, it’s really, really hard to believe that they would fall in love with each other. The whole story goes on and I catch myself rooting for Heck every time. There’s nothing really special about the way the plot develops.
So why did I choose to talk about this not-so-great full-of-clichés romantic comedy of all great movies I could have talked about?
Because, well, I love this movie.
The first time I watched it, I was sixteen, and struggling to accept an identity I knew wouldn’t be welcomed by my family. And it was quite a surreal experience, like a complete alternate reality to mine (and, I think, anybody’s).
The movie doesn’t really comment on the fact that these are two women getting it on. It comments on loyalty, and marriage, and love, and betrayal, and friendship. Their families, their friends, they just go with it. And whilst most people would point this out the script’s biggest flaw, to my sixteen-year-old mind, that was an awesome thing to watch.
Really, this movie has always made my day (life) a little lighter.
You people should see it.
The Queerview Mirror is a weekly feature where Queereka contributors review a variety of media. Look for Queerview
Mirror posts each Friday afternoon.
