Far more memorable than critics would have you believe

I'm really glad that tasteless spoilers (thanks a heap Perez Hilton) and negative reviews didn't keep me from going to see "Remember Me" in the theater on Sunday. Both Jen and I really loved the film.

We found it no where near boring or trite and we didn't feel offended at the end either. As another reviewer put it online, "What some will see as a sucker punch, I found more of a footnote, for what ultimately matters in 'Remember Me' is all that comes before."

The tag line, "Live in the Moments," really is perfect.

Even though the ending was spoiled, Jen and I were both pleasantly surprised with the way the film ended. While I sincerely believe it to be impossible for the end to surprise anyone now, I won't add to the spoilfest here. Instead, I will give a very brief synopsis and recount some of my favorite scenes.

The story: troubled college student Tyler (Robert Pattinson) meets larger than life college student Ally (Emilie de Ravin) by a somewhat random twist of fate. Neither planned to fall in love with the other, but it happens anyway. Ally helps Tyler to see that there's more to life than bitterness, regret and brooding. Truths withheld tear them apart. Love conquers, but tragedy prevails. Through tragedy, two families heal and learn how to go on.

Like many reviewers, I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Tyler and his younger sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins). One of my favorites was when Caroline asks Tyler if he's going to come to her art show. Tyler says, "Hmmm. I'll have to check my book (pause for dramatic effect). Absofreakinlutely! I'll be there the day before. I'm camping out!" I'm sure we'd all love to have a brother adore us as much as Tyler adores Caroline.

I also loved the dinner scene with Tyler, Ally and Tyler's dad (Pierce Brosnan). Of course Tyler would prefer Ally not like his father, but she proves to be just as charming as ever and the two connect on a certain level - as much as Mr. Hawkins can connect with anyone anyway. It is during this scene that one can begin to understand how/why Tyler would fall for Ally - because she is good for making the best of an uncomfortable situation, and she's willing to put herself aside to be there for someone else in need.

I adore Lena Olin - in all her gorgeous glory - and although her part was fairly minor, I thought she played it extremely well. I also really liked Mr. Hawkins' secretary, Janine (Kate Burton). Her role on the surface had minimal impact, but under the family dynamic she was, in a way, the glue that held Tyler and his father together.

Another big difference between Jen/Tracey and the reviewers was that we didn't absolutely hate Tate Ellington (Aidan, Tyler's roommate). Yes, he had an obnoxious quality about him, but he wasn't without his charms. If nothing else, he played a drunk pretty well in a couple of scenes.

As a few other reviewers stated, New York really was a character in the film for me, too. I've only been there twice, but I really felt like I was there on the streets, in the heart of New York throughout the film.

Like I said, I really liked this movie. If you don't want to gamble on the price of a theater ticket, I highly recommend renting the DVD when it comes out. I'm sure Redbox will carry it and it's definitely worth $1.

My biggest disappointment in the spoilers was that I would've liked to have known if I could've figured out the end on my own. Should anyone out there manage to see the movie without having been informed on the ending beforehand, I'd love to hear your thoughts.