Serendipity poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale, Molly Shannon, Jeremy Piven, John Corbett ... see more see more... , Bridget Moynahan , Eugene Levy , Kate Blumberg

After the long-delayed Town and Country, director Peter Chelsom turns in his second 2001 effort with this love-at-first-sight romantic comedy that revolves around fate, destiny, and chance. Jonathan (... read more read more...John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) are two New Yorkers already in relationships when they meet one another, each reaching for the last pair of cashmere gloves at a department store. Over coffee, they strike up an intimate conversation, and Jonathan thinks they should see each other again. Unconvinced, Sara arranges an elaborate series of "fate" games; if they're meant to be together, she reasons, she and Jonathan will receive some sort of sign in the future. Flash forward several years, and the two are at opposite ends of the country -- Jonathan in New York and Sara in San Francisco, both engaged to be married. Still, neither can shake the memory of their chance encounter, and they both enlist their best friends (Molly Shannon and Jeremy Piven) to help them find their true love again. Serendipity had its Gala World Premiere at the 2001 Toronto Film Festival. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi

Flixster Users

79% liked it

205,718 ratings

Critics

58% liked it

130 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 30 min.

Directed by: Peter Chelsom

Release Date: October 5, 2001

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: April 9, 2002

Stats: 12,087 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Serendipity Serendipity JOHN CUSACK John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity strength John Cusack Serendipity John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity Serendipity Jonathan Trager cassiopeia John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale Serendipity John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale Serendipity Serendipity John Cusack, Kate Beckinsale in Serendipity John Cusack Serendipity
Upload a Photo | View All Serendipity Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (12,087)

  • fb100000145236770
    December 26, 2011
    fb100000145236770
    I'm generally not a chick flick/romantic movie type of guy. However, I LOVE "Serendipity". This is my favorite romance movie. I love the premise, I love the performances, I love the music, I really love everything about it. It's the story of Johnathon(John Cusack) and Sara(Kat... read moree Beckinsale). They meet one night by chance and have a great time. But Sara worries that they aren't meant to be, so she comes up with a plan. She writes her name and phone number in a book, and he writes his name and phone number on a 5 dollar bill. If they ever find the other, they will call each other and know it was meant to be. Years pass and both have moved on with their lives. Johnathon is about to get married and Sara has just gotten engaged. However both want desperately to find the other, to know for sure if they were meant to be. My favorite character in the movie is Dean(Jeremy Piven), Johnathon's best friend. Piven is one of my favorite actors, and brought a lot to the role. Every time I see this movie on tv, I stop and watch it. It's just such a fantastic movie. If you've never seen it, what is wrong with you? Go get a copy and sit back, and just fall in love. If you have seen it, well look for it again and be reminded of how great of a movie this really is.
  • murphmann93
    June 23, 2011
    murphmann93
    A quirky and fun film! Romantic and a feel good film!
  • Deano78
    October 27, 2010
    Deano78
    One of the best Rom-coms I have seen in a long while! A very romantic film about fate and destiny in finding your soul mate. Possibly owes a bit to When Harry met Sally but that's a great film to. It has a good cast with some great cameos from some very funny comic actors. Check ... read moreit out if you haven't seen it.
  • LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    February 26, 2010
    LorenzoVonMatterhorn
    "Destiny ... With A Sense Of Humor."

    A couple reunite years after the night they first met, fell in love, and separated, convinced that one day they'd end up together.

    REVIEW

    Fluffy tale of J... read moreonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale) who meet cute in a department store, spend the day together and then part without revealing names. She puts her name and number in a book and he puts his on the back of a 5 dollar bill. Sara says if fate wants us to meet, we'll find those. As you can see reality stops right here. Years later they're both set to marry other people...but still pine after each other. Then they set out to find each other. Guess what happens?

    Utterly predictable with a seriously stupid plot line that works somewhat well. It's got a nice romantic feel, good music and very good acting. Cusack and Beckinsale are both attractive and utterly believable as the couple and there is very strong support from Jermey Piven as Jon's best friend and Molly Shannon as Sara's best friend. Also Eugene Levy throws in a hilarious performance as an anal store clerk.
  • ythelastman89
    November 23, 2009
    ythelastman89
    A poor attempt at romantic comedy. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale are too good of actors to be stuck in such a mess. Try as they might, there was no way to salvage this from the get-go. It is bland and unmemorable. There is no distinct direction or vision.
  • SirPant
    September 22, 2009
    SirPant
    I watch soppy films from time to time and this is quite good as soppy films go!
  • TomBowler
    August 2, 2009
    TomBowler
    an interesting, though substance lacking, delve into the world of fate
  • jennifxu
    September 20, 2008
    jennifxu
    I honestly, honestly, honestly don't see the romance in this slightly creepy, overly stretched out "rom-com". It's not even the complete void of reality that bothers me so much, it's the fact that Kate Beckinsale is such an annoying bitch. Why anyone would want to get together wi... read moreth her and buy like a thousand copies of Love in the Time of Cholera just to call her is beyond me.

    John Cusack is preditably adorable but his talent is completely wasted. How much to you wanna bet that the mention of Cool Hand Luke (the one classy moment in the movie) was Cusack's idea?

    The one good thing I can say about this movie is that at least the director was aware that John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale have absolutely zero chemistry toegether, so he put them on the same screen for a minimal amount of time.
  • movieguru12
    June 13, 2008
    movieguru12
    The sweetest movie ever!!!!!!!!!
  • thmtsang
    January 20, 2008
    thmtsang
    Two people are involved in other relationships, but on a chance meeting, meet their soul mate and they leave it to destiny to see if they are to meet again.

View All Serendipity Reviews

Critic Reviews

Andrew Sarris
October 18, 2001
Andrew Sarris, New York Observer

A movie I found myself liking more than perhaps I should. Full Review

Rex Reed
October 18, 2001
Rex Reed, New York Observer

Fluffy and innocuous as Cool Whip, it is nonetheless uplifting, romantic and delightful, further enhancing the world's enduring love affair with the Big Apple. Full Review

Charles Taylor
October 12, 2001
Charles Taylor, Salon.com

Serendipity may be calculated, but the good news is that all that hard work never prevents it from being genuinely charming. Full Review

Paul Tatara
October 10, 2001
Paul Tatara, CNN.com

So stringently a 'romantic comedy,' you could review it with a pie chart. Full Review

Desson Thomson
October 6, 2001
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Insipid, by-the-numbers romance.

Rita Kempley
October 6, 2001
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

An overfamiliar and exasperating game of cat-and-mousie.

Bob Graham
October 6, 2001
Bob Graham, San Francisco Chronicle

There are some good moments that challenge the idea of predestined soul mates. Full Review

Joe Baltake
October 6, 2001
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee

One of those gratingly 'adorable' romances that manages to turn even the most intelligent performers into grinning idiots. Full Review

Roger Moore
October 6, 2001
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

It's fun watching Cusack, who does lovelorn so well he might be the male version of Meg Ryan.

John Anderson
October 6, 2001
John Anderson, Newsday

Pure confection, brainless but very, very sweet. Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Lake House
    The Lake House (81%)
  • Just Like Heaven
    Just Like Heaven (78%)
  • August Rush
    August Rush (100%)
  • Underworld
    Underworld (17%)

More Movies like Serendipity

Facts

No facts approved yet. Be the first

Serendipity : Watch Free on TV

Serendipity Trivia

  • Name the movie with this tagline "No name. No address. Just fate"   Answer »
  • In Serendipity, how and in which city did Sara and Jonathan meet??  Answer »
  • in which movie do kate beckinsale and john cusack go ice skating?  Answer »
  • We're a brother & sister pair, who's starred in or did voiceovers for the following movies: Serendipity Toy Story 2 School of Rock Chicken Little Grosse Point Blank Who are we?  Answer »
More Serendipity Trivia

Movie Quizzes

Create a Quiz |

All Quizzes

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Serendipity Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Serendipity to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

dreamless1986 Skin by dreamless1986
111 Profiles
Add to Profile

More Skins