6 Films That Are The Ultimate Guilty Pleasure

Serendipity (2001)

Modern life, in general, can feel chaotic and random – so sometimes, there is nothing more comforting than the idea of fate and destiny. These types of stories appeal to that part of us that wishes we could return to a time when big decisions were made for us, and the biggest choice we were faced with was how many naps we felt like taking in a day. When you’ve had a stressful time of it, a story that tells us, “Don’t worry, it’ll all work out in the end, anyway,” can feel as good as slipping into a warm bath. Suddenly, all is right with the world.

That’s what makes Serendipity an excellent guilty pleasure. It tells the tale of Jonathan (John Cusack) and Sara (Kate Beckinsale), who stumble upon each other in a New York department store on Christmas Eve, shopping for black gloves. A discussion over which of the two will take the last pair leads to them bonding over discussions of fate and the universe while drinking hot chocolate.

Events conspire to convince the two that a larger force may be at work, but also tears them asunder. What follows is a somewhat convoluted plot in which the pair navigate their respective doomed relationships until destiny reunites them on a skating rink in Central Park.

Adding to the comfort factor is the presence of a great deal of talent in the cast. Cusack is excellent, as always, but is elevated by many scenes with Jeremy Piven – playing his best friend, Dean. Kate Beckinsale is less impressive, but has the benefit of Molly Shannon in the role of her best friend, Eve. John Corbett creates a fantastically self-centred musician as Beckinsale’s fiancé, and Eugene Levy steals the show as a fastidious department store clerk who becomes embroiled in the web of destiny weaved by Jonathan and Sara. All in all, Serendipity is a giant bear hug of a movie – filled with hope, romance, and a lot of gentle laughs.