Imagine Me & You is a 2005 British Romantic Comedy about a newlywed who finds herself falling in love with someone else - the lonely woman who arranged the wedding flowers. As she's walking down the aisle to her husband-to-be.
The film stars Piper Perabo as Rachel, Lena Headey as Luce, Matthew Goode as Heck, and Anthony Head as Rachel's father Ned.
This film provides examples of:
- Almost Kiss: At one point, Rachel and Luce almost kiss but are interrupted by a passing car.
- Atomic F-Bomb: YOU'RE A WANKER, NUMBER NIIIIIIIIINEEEE!! Wanker being a fairly strong cussword in the UK, and it comes back in the end as an Anguished Declaration of Love.
- The Beard: Unsurprisingly, Heck becomes one for Rachel, as she'd rather be in a loveless marriage with him rather than admit she's a lesbian.
- Bisexual Love Triangle: Rachel with her husband Heck and her love interest Luce.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Heck may have done this at the very end when he looks at the camera and smiles.
- The Casanova: Cooper.
- Chekhov's Skill: When Luce teaches Rachel how to project your voice, and later Rachel uses this to find Luce.
- Closet Key: Luce is this to Rachel.
- Cloudcuckoolander: Ned, who decides a cactus is the perfect plant to give to his beloved.
- Comforting Comforter: Rachel tosses a blanket on Heck while he's pretending to be asleep on the couch.
- Coming-Out Story: Rachel comes to terms with her being a lesbian and tells her parents about it.Ned: So, who's the lucky chap? What's his name?Rachel: Her...name is Luce.Tessa: Luce? As in a woman? As are you a woman? So you mean you two are lesbifriends?Rachel: Doesn't matter what you call it, it's not going to happen.
- Contrived Coincidence: The sheer amount of times that Rachel, Luce, and Heck accidentally bump into each other.
- Converse with the Unconscious: Well, more accurately, speaking with the plastered.
- Covers Always Lie: The wedding dress Rachel is wearing on the cover is not the same as the one she wears in the movie.
- Daydream Surprise: Rachel, in H's classroom with Luce.
- Disposable Fiancé: Averted with Heck. He's a genuinely nice guy who gets wrecked by losing Rachel, although it gets better for him.
- Dude, She's A Lesbian: Gloriously done.Cooper: Did you see that flower girl out there? Later we are going to fall madly in bed.
Heck: So it is going well for you then?
Cooper: Very well.
Heck: She is a lesbian.
Cooper: Is that right? Cool.
Heck: Doesn't that slightly thwart your plan for seduction?
Cooper: Anyone can change teams ... Not anyone, cause I would never, you know ...hmm ... (starts gulping down his drink) - Foreshadowing: Used quite a lot, and very well at that.
- A woman comes into the flower show and breaks down crying because she is pregnant, and her boyfriend doesn't know. Later, during the end credits, we see Cooper walking around with a baby.
- Heck mentions early in the film that he wants to write a book about partying around the world. Later Heck does just that.
- Luce puts the missing ring on Rachel's finger.
- Flower Motifs: Pretty much inevitable, in a Rom Com starring a florist, but most important is Rachel's favorite, the lily, which Luce translates as "I dare you to love me". Also consider the origin of the term "Yuri" in the context of the film.Rachel: What does the lily mean?Luce: The lily means... [pause] The lily means, "I dare you to love me".
- Flowers of Romance: Heck (aka Hector) goes to pick up flowers for his bride Rachel, as a way of apologizing for not being present all the time for her. All this happened just after Rachel and Luce kissed in the flower shop.
- Gayngst: Rachel, who realizes she is falling for Luce and feels very guilty about it. She tries rejecting her and pushing her away, but it doesn't stop her from kissing her a few times.Rachel: I can't ...Luce: I know.
- Girl on Girl Is Hot: Heck thinks this when he discovers a lesbian porn film Rachel kept hidden. Rachel feels ashamed about it.Rachel: It doesn't turn me on.Heck: That makes one of us.
- Hands-On Approach: When Luce teaches Rachel how to project her voice.
- Happy Ending: Quite possibly the happiest-ending film of all time. Everyone - everyone - gets a happy ending, even Heck despite his wife leaving him.
- Henpecked Husband: Ned.Beth: So, Ned. How long have you guys been married, then?
Ned: Thirty years.
Beth: (tenderly) Oh.
Ned: If I'd killed her when I first thought about it, I'd be out by now. A free man. - I Love the Smell of X in the Morning:Ned: I love the smell of hot dogs in the evening. Smells like... hot dogs.
- Incompatible Orientation: Coop has a crush on Luce, who is a lesbian. Also, Heck and Rachel.Coop: Fuck me if I'm wrong, but I think you want to kiss me.Luce: It's not going to happen.
- Indulgent Fantasy Segue: During H's science act, Rachel happens to barely touch Luce's hand, then she brushes Luce's hair off her face. They spend several moments deeply gazing into each other's eyes with very tender music playing, leaning closer, and closer, and... the lights come on with a loud snap, Luce's still watching the act and no touching has taken place.
- Interrupted Intimacy: Rachel and Luce start kissing in the flower shop. Then Heck shows up for an order of flowers.
- I Want Grandkids: One of the reasons why Tessa tries to talk Rachel out of the whole "being gay"-thing.Tessa: And what about my grandchildren? Who will provide me with them?
Ned: Well, kids these days have many amazing new methods at their disposal. - I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Explored rather deeply as a central theme of the film.
- Lipstick Lesbian: Luce, Rachel (eventually).
- Lost Wedding Ring: Happens at the reception. Apparently not too snug, Rachel's ring falls in the drink dispenser.
- Love at First Sight: Bride-to-be Rachel falls for the florist Luce the moment she meets her, on her wedding day no less. Essentially the premise behind the romance in the entire movie.
- Love Triangle: Heck/Rachel/Luce.
- Making Love in All the Wrong Places:
- Rachel impulsively decides she and Heck should go into the woods on the side of the highway to have sex. A couple gay guys had the same idea, however, so the plan is scuppered.
- Later, she and Luce start passionately kissing each other in the back room of Luce's flower shop on top of a bed of flowers. This goes well until Luce has to stop because "Ow! Ow! Thorns in my bum!" and then moments later, a customer arrives to interrupt them further (which turns out to be Heck).
- Nice Guy: Heck could easily be the top image on this trope’s page. The film goes out of its way to show that he is a kindhearted person that any girl would be lucky to have. He’s never portrayed as boring or rude, but just a good-natured person who tried to be the best partner to Rachel that he possibly could. When he realizes that Rachel is in love with Luce, he gives a heartfelt speech about how much he cares about her happiness and steps aside gracefully. He even gets his own Happy Ending in the credits montage.
- No Bisexuals: It is implied that Rachel was never truly attracted to Heck.Rachel: You are my best friend. That was enough before, and it will be enough again.
- Not That There's Anything Wrong with ThatHeck: (Trying to set her up with his best friend) Anyway, are you married? Been married? Ever going to be married...
Luce: Umm... no, no, and maybe now when the law has changed.
Heck: How do you mean?
Luce: I'm gay.
Heck: (laughs at her joke; realizes she is not joking)...Hmm...lovely. Well done!
(Cue Luce's confused WTF-face, and Heck quickly excusing himself) - Orbital Kiss: Rachel and Luce share one at the end, set to the song "So Happy Together" by The Turtles.
- Pain to the Ass: When Rachel and Luce kiss in the flower shop, they roll around on a bed which just happens to be covered in roses. Leading to an amusing exchange from Luce.Luce: Thorns! Thorns! In my bum! Ow!
- Race for Your Love: Rachel and Luce run towards one another through traffic to be together in the end.
- Second Love: Luce is this for Rachel, her first love being her husband.
- Shout-Out:
- Some questions asked by H are the titles of books from the Imponderables series: When Do Fish Sleep? and Do Penguins Have Knees?
- The title comes from the first four words of the song "Happy Together" by The Turtles, also used as the end credits song.
- "Shut Up" Kiss: More of a one-sided variation of this by Rachel. She basically kisses Luce to shut herself up.
- Title Drop: The film's title gets referenced through the song that plays over Rachel and Luce's orbital kiss at the end.
- Unstoppable Force Meets Immovable Object:H: What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?Luce: It never happens. If there's a thing that can't be stopped, it's not possible for there to be something else which can't be moved, and vice versa. They can't both exist. You see? It's a trick question, is the answer.
- And later, when Heck has decided to leave Rachel because he knows that she's in love with Luce:Heck: I want you to be happy. More than anything else, I wanted to be the cause of happiness in you. But if I'm not, then I can't stand in the way. Do you see? Because what you're feeling now, Rachel, is the unstoppable force... which means that I've got to move.
- And later, when Heck has decided to leave Rachel because he knows that she's in love with Luce:
- Wise Beyond Their Years: H, when she's comforting Heck.
