Review: Before I Go To Sleep

What to make of the psychological thriller Before I Go To Sleep, already hobbled from its opening shot? The source novel by S.J. Watson had potential to be an above average Hitchcockian drama, yet writer-director Rowan Joffe bungles the material and turns it into a pale imitation of Memento.

Years ago, Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman) was in an accident that left her with anterogade amnesia. Every morning she wakes up with no memory of the day before. She's assisted in her rememberings by Ben (Colin Firth), the man who identifies himself as her husband; he wearily but patiently explains her condition, showing her their photo albums and other visual references of their life together.

Then there's Dr. Nasch (Mark Strong), who calls her every morning and establishes himself as a neuropsychologist. Nasch has been treating her without Ben's knowledge and directs her to consult the video diary he had asked her to keep to track her memories. She learns that her injury wasn't caused by an accident but rather an horrific attack that had her left for dead. She may have been having an affair and Ben may be withholding information from her - the whereabouts of her friend Claire (Anne-Marie Duff) and the death of their son. In fact, did they even have a son? Are she and Ben even married? Is Dr. Nasch harboring malicious motives?

Before I Go To Sleep unveils its suspicions and revelations in such a pedestrian manner that they're stifled of all impact. That said, the biggest twist is niftily handled though it misleads the audience into thinking the film won't devolve into the usual woman-in-peril mechanics. Sadly it does, and watching Kidman on the receiving end of a brutal beating makes for uncomfortable and arguably unnecessary viewing.

Despite Joffe's failings, the cast deliver solid performances. Duff is onscreen for only a few minutes but uses her time so wisely that you wish she was in more of the movie. Both Strong and Firth play around with their expected personas with Firth doing an especially good job of lightening and darkening Ben in relation to Christine's oscillating views.

Kidman has done the wounded bird schtick before and in better films. Still Kidman is an actress that always commits so she conveys pain, confusion and distrust with effective efficiency. Considering the material and the actors involved, one wishes that someone like David Fincher, Denis Villeneuve, Steve Kloves, or even Baz Luhrmann would have been at the helm. Any of the aforementioned directors would have offered a far more intriguing take on the themes of the unreliability of memory, identity and truth.

Before I Go To Sleep

Directed by: Rowan Joffe

Written by: Rowan Joffe; adapted from S.J. Watson's novel

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Anne-Marie Duff