​FILMS

before i go to sleep

Before I Go to Sleep (Drama/Mystery/Thriller): 55 out of 100: For a thriller, this is quite a dull affair. There really isn't much tension until the one hour mark. For a character study, it's slightly better...that's if you can deal with the repetition that doesn't really develop the narrative.

Nicole Kidman plays a woman who wakes up every day not remembering her past as a result of a traumatic accident. Colin Firth plays her husband who might or might not be on her side. This is their second film together after last year's superior "The Railway Man". They are both Academy Award winning actors and it's a mystery as to why they have chosen to star in such lightweight material.

Rowan Joffe directs from his own screenplay which has been based on a best selling novel. His direction is intrusive and occasionally, as subtle as a sledgehammer. He has a tendency to film close-up scenes with a shaky camera, which is most annoying. Some of his dialogue is trite and unconvincing.

The acting is solid as expected but if only three principal actors in a movie cast is not your cup of tea, then you are best to look elsewhere. They do however, negotiate the tepid twists and turns with skill and verve.

If you want to truly experience a movie about a character suffering from amnesia, then "Memento" by Christopher Nolan is the movie to see. That movie shows how tension can be created to great effect, unlike this film which is a bit of a snoozefest at times.

Starring Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth and Mark Strong
(92 minutes)
Parental advice: Coarse language, violence, nudity and adult themes
Additional scene during or after credits: No
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQdnOYpyBCo (Movie trailer)

(Reviewed on Wednesday 29th October, 2014)