Before I Go to Sleep (2014)

Directed by Rowan Joffé
Produced by Avi Lerner, Liza Marshall, Mark Gill, Matthew O'Toole, Ridley Scott
Written by Rowan Joffé
Based on "Before I Go to Sleep" by S. J. Watson
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Anne-Marie Duff
Music by Edward Shearmur
Cinematography: Ben Davis
Edited by Melanie Oliver
Production company: StudioCanal, Millennium Films, Scott Free Productions, Film i Väst
Distributed by Clarius Entertainment
Release date: 4 September 2014 (New Zealand)
Running time: 92 minutes
Country: United Kingdom, United States
Box office: $15,060,457

"Before I Go to Sleep" is a mystery thriller film written and directed by Rowan Joffé adapted from S. J. Watson's novel of the same name. The story is about a woman who wakes up every day, remembering nothing as a result of a traumatic accident in her past. But one day, she starts to understand that not everything in her life is the truth.

Cast

• Nicole Kidman as Christine Lucas
• Colin Firth as Ben Lucas/ Mike
• Mark Strong as Dr. Nasch
• Anne-Marie Duff as Claire
• Dean-Charles Chapman as Adam
• Adam Levy as husband/ the real Ben Lucas
• Deborah Rosan as Dancer
• Jing Lusi as Nurse Kate
• Rosie MacPherson as Emily
• Charlie Gardner

The name Rowan Joffé doesn't tell me anything - fortunately or unfortunately, I don't know. I've read the book of S. J. Watson that, frankly speaking, pleased me more. The film in its turn looks like a cutting of the best takes as it doesn't fascinate as much as the novel.

Nicole Kidman is in the list of my favourite actresses but I'm upset with her acting in "Before I Go to Sleep" - a little boring, a little farfetched, a little emotionless. What a pity! I've recently caught myself in a thought that I became a fan of Colin Firth's works. And his performance in this film turns out wonderful: it's interesting to keep an eye on his changes from love to hate. As for Mark Strong ("Kick-Ass"), his acting seems plausible that could only gladden.

Advantages

• Nicole Kidman
• Colin Firth
• Mark Strong

Disadvantages

• Where are emotions? Nicole? Colin? Mark?

"Strangenesses"

• Where are her truth husband and their son all this time?

Clue Moments

• Memories
• Finding out the truth

In my opinion, getting up every morning without remembering your own name is really frightening. But on the other side, it's a great opportunity to make a fresh start - you may create a new life after waking. A new name, a new history, a new awakening, isn't it captivating? Probably. However it scares as well. What was yesterday or a week ago? And how to be yourself if you even don't who you are?

The main character has amnesia, so let me look closer to this problem. Amnesia is a deficit in memory caused by brain damage, disease, or psychological trauma. Amnesia can also be caused temporarily by the use of various sedatives and hypnotic drugs. Essentially, amnesia is loss of memory. The memory can be either wholly or partially lost due to the extent of damage that was caused. There are two main types of amnesia: retrograde amnesia and anterograde amnesia. Retrograde amnesia is the inability to retrieve information that was acquired before a particular date, usually the date of an accident or operation. In some cases the memory loss can extend back decades, while in others the person may lose only a few months of memory. Anterograde amnesia is the inability to transfer new information from the short-term store into the long-term store. People with this type of amnesia cannot remember things for long periods of time. These two types are not mutually exclusive. Both can occur within a patient at one time. Case studies, such as that of patient R.B., show that both types of amnesia can occur simultaneously. Case studies also show that amnesia is typically associated with damage to the medial temporal lobe. In addition, specific areas of the hippocampus (the CA1 region) are involved with memory. Research has also shown that when areas of the diencephalon are damaged, amnesia can occur. Recent studies have shown a correlation between deficiency of RbAp48 protein and memory loss. Scientists were able to find that mice with damaged memory have a lower level of RbAp48 protein compared to normal, healthy mice. In people suffering with amnesia, the ability to recall immediate information is still retained, and they may still be able to form new memories. However, a severe reduction in the ability to learn new material and retrieve old information can be observed. Patients can learn new procedural knowledge. In addition, priming (both perceptual and conceptual) can assist amnesiacs in the learning of fresh non-declarative knowledge. Amnesic patients also retain substantial intellectual, linguistic, and social skill despite profound impairments in the ability to recall specific information encountered in prior learning episodes.

Soundtracks

1. The Supremes - You Keep Me Hangin' On
2. Nina Ossoff, Dana Calitri and Martin Briley - Girls On Top

You may see the trailer here.

Plot: 6/10

Entertainment: 6/10

Acting: 6/10

Originality: 7/10

Music and Sound: 5/10

6/10