Expectations could ruin, or enhance, your experience of watching Wicker Park. What you expect, based on the trailers, is a thriller: boy meets girl, girl is crazy, cover your eyes, someone’s around the corner. What you get is a love story: boy meets girl, they fall in love, yada yada yada.

The trailer will have you believing that Wicker Park is based around danger and mystery, when in actuality, there is no danger, and there is mystery but for other reasons.

Josh Hartnett plays the plucky Matthew, a rising young businessman who is going to ask Rebecca, played by Jessica Pare, to marry him. As he is about to leave to China on business, he thinks he sees Lisa (Diane Kruger), the woman who left him two years ago, and who he is evidently still in love with.

Almost any more storyline details would give away something; just don’t put much belief in the previews.

Director Paul McGuigan successfully uses many camera tricks. The cinematography is one of the standout elements to Wicker Park. He goes overboard a little — like when there is an unnecessary continuous circular pan around a dull argument — but it enhances the overall story.

Matthew Lillard plays Luke, Matthew’s less successful goofy friend. Lillard is used to playing the rambunctious roles, like Shaggy in Scooby Doo, but somehow it fits in perfectly. The only laughter in the movie comes from scenes with Lillard, but he’s not using his acting to entice that reaction. The laughs come from the script. Lillard’s role was minimal, but he progresses as an actor.

The only thing missing from Wicker Park was suspense. Who needs suspense in a romantic film? The audience, when it is promised.

3*






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