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| On the eve of his engagement, Matthew, a young city professional (Hartnett), becomes obsessed with a woman he sees in a cafe, believing her to be his long-lost love who disappeared without a trace two years earlier. Risking everything, he begins a search to track down and discover what really happened. But his obsession soon leads him down a dangerous path that will end in Wicker Park.
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Here's what our members thought of this title. 5 stars = very good, 1 star = poor.
 |  | When desire becomes deceit and passion becomes possession.
"Love makes you do crazy things, insane things that you could never see yourself doing. But there you are doing them… can't help it."
A stylish romantic drama that plays out like a thriller, Wicker Park is a fascinating and endlessly mysterious movie with a couple of great aces up its sleeve. The first is Josh Hartnett, an actor whose willingness to experiment and take chances apparently led him to make this film, definitely a break from the Hollywood norm. A complex tale of deep dark secrets, burning passions, seething resentments and red leather shoes, it's clearly not your average syrupy romance.
The second reason this movie works so well is probably down to Scottish director Paul McGuigan, who gave us The Acid House and the memorably in-your-face Gangster No. 1. Visually the film is immediately distinctive, laced with lots of clever split-screen work that helps you see the story from a number of illuminating perspectives. It's just one of the tricks that McGuigan employs to keep the movie interesting, to keep it moving and to never allow the audience to know exactly what's going on. We're unbalanced, uncertain, but slowly a picture begins to form and though it's not entirely clear until the very end how everything fits together, it's a compelling and ultimately satisfying experience.
John Hartnett inhabits virtually every frame of the movie as a young investment banker called Matthew who, though he should be on his way to China for important business meetings, chooses to blow off his career in order to track down a girl. Not just any girl, though – she's the love of his life. A dancer called Lisa (Troy's Diane Kruger) who, several months into their picture perfect, fairytale relationship, disappeared without a trace or any explanation. She broke his heart and he tried to move on, even got engaged to another woman, but then he spots her in a café – or at least he thinks he does – and suddenly all thoughts of work and fiancées goes right out of the window.
Matthew knows that he has to find her and can't give up until he does, though events continually transpire against him. Fate appears to be dead set against their reunion. Or is it something – or someone – else that's trying to keep them apart? The answers to this and many other questions are all hidden somewhere in Wicker Park. You just have to look for them.
Darting back and forth within a two year time period, telling the story in bits and pieces from multiple viewpoints, McGuigan keeps us guessing until the end. While we're waiting for illumination there's much to enjoy, from the twistiness of the plot to the sophisticated visual design, but really, what we liked most about it, were the performances. From Hartnett, here doing some of his best work, to baffling beauties Kruger and Rose Byrne, who plays a pivotal role that we really can't talk about without spoiling the movie. Trust us though – she's very good. Rounding off the cast we have Scream and Scooby Doo star Matthew "Shaggy" Lillard as Matthew's obnoxious best mate, adding humour to the heartache.
A moody and emotionally complex piece of work, with tones of Hitchcock, a mellow rock soundtrack and a warning on the perils of losing touch; Wicker Park will stick with you long after the final credits roll up the screen. One for the brain, the heart, and your list! Rent online now!
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