Jiin Jeong , Hyeyun Jeong
‘ If Only ( 2004 )’ is a romantic film about Samantha and Ian , a couple living in London . Sam is an aspiring musician from America who shows great affection for her workaholic boyfriend Ian . The movie starts with the couple ’ s morning as Sam wakes up Ian and presents a brown coat as a gift to him . While preparing breakfast , Sam gets burned , and as the day progress , several misfortunes occur ; Ian ’ s watch breaks , Sam ’ s coat is ruined , and most importantly , Ian ’ s meeting is interrupted by Sam . Throughout the day , Ian is shown as an insensitive boyfriend who is too involved in his work to pay much attention to Sam .
As Ian gets on a taxi to attend Sam ’ s concert , the eerie music and the foggy background creates suspense that is further substantiated by the taxi driver . The taxi driver seems to know all about Sam and the couple ’ s estranged relationship . He even seems to know about the future for he asks Ian “ What if she ( Sam ) never came back ?” To this question , Ian replies that he couldn ’ t live without her . With the encouragement of the cab driver , Ian brings Sam flowers for the concert but they get into a conflict over dinner and Sam leaves alone in the cab . When she dies in an accident , the driver ’ s supposition becomes reality . Sam will never come back and Ian is devastated . The role of the cab driver is one dramatic aspect in the movie for he plays an almost omniscient God-like figure , predicting things beforehand and offering solutions .
After the accident , Ian returns home and finds a song written for him by Sam . He cries over it and eventually falls asleep . The next day , he wakes up to find Sam lying next to him and realizes that he has another chance to live the day when Sam died . Remembering what the taxi driver told him , to “ appreciate her ” and “ just love her ”, he tries to prevent all the mistakes he made before ; however , every misfortune happens again , just in different ways . Ian tries to tell Sam about what he experienced but Sam doesn ’ t believe him . Ian realizes that he can ’ t prevent Sam dying so he makes the day unforgettable for her . They travel to his hometown and go to Sam ’ s favorite diner . Ian also gives a charm bracelet to Sam and before they get in the cab , Ian thanks Sam profusely for teaching him how to love . “ Samantha , if not for today , if not for you , I would never have known love at all … So thank you for being the person who taught me to love … and to be loved .” This ‘ scene in the rain ’ is one of the most romantic and heartwarming scenes in the movie which contains the central message the film was trying to convey all along : we need to appreciate every single moment when we have the chance , we need to set our priorities straight , and we shouldn ’ t be afraid to show love for our loved ones .
In the end , the couple gets into the car together and like Ian expected , the crash comes ; however , Ian dies by saving Sam and Sam lies in the hospital , sadly remembering Ian and the warning he was trying to give all day long . ‘ If only ’ is a phrase used to express a regretful wish . After Sam ’ s death , Ian wishes ‘ if only ’ he had appreciated her more when she was alive and after Ian ’ s death , Sam wishes ‘ if only ’ she had listened to his caution . In the end , the movie is telling the audience that people are often left with regretful wishes after their actions , but those regretful wishes are what change people . Ian hadn ’ t realized that spending time with Sam would be so important and devoted most of his time on business . The death of Sam taught him otherwise and by regretting ‘ if only ’, he turned from a businessman to a man who knew how to love .
An American singer and rapper Dana Elaine Owens , also known as Queen Latifah , once said “ I made decisions that I regret , and I took them as learning experiences ... I ’ m human , not perfect , like anybody else .” This is what “ If Only ” is about , taking your regretful wish , ‘ if only ’, and using it to improve on your life . Although having a chance to relive a fateful day like in the movie is impossible , ‘ if only ’ can still help people realize the importance of time , the importance of little things , and the importance of living the moment .
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