Why didn't Alex continue his pursuit of Kate after the party?
Impatient to meet Kate Forster after corresponding with her two years into the future, Alex Wyler eventually tracks down his 'present-day' Kate at her boyfriend's party but he doesn't mention their exchange of letters to her because she did not 'know' him at that time. Knowing Kate's love of the story Persuasion he is quickly able to build a rapport and - in a touching and intimate scene - they actually kiss.
From what I can remember things end badly as Alex and Kate are discovered by Kate's boyfriend(!) and the young lady who accompanied Alex to the party.
Even so it is surprising that Alex seems to totally give up on pursuing Kate in 'his' time and resumes corresponding with Kate in 'the future' instead. Why was this?
Best Answer
Alex's goal is to know the Kate he is corresponding with
Alex's stolen intimacy with Kate at the birthday party is to support the burgeoning postal relationship with Kate in the future.
At the birthday party, Kate is dating Morgan
Morgan will be a difficult love rival to shift, but at this point of the relationship by correspondence Kate is once again single and available.
Most importantly, Alex must avoid paradox
As this article explains, The Lake House is fraught with paradoxes and possible paradoxes. If Alex continues his pursuit of present-day Kate and changes her history significantly, even by winning her love, he obliterates future Kate who he is corresponding with.
It's a very romantic movie and it doesn't matter...
"Never mind, I tell you, never mind!" - Roger Ebert
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