Barrett Brief Movie Review – Reminiscence Is Sadly Very Forgettable

Barrett Brief Movie Review – Reminiscence Is Sadly Very Forgettable

Summary: Nick Bannister, a private investigator of the mind, navigates the alluring world of the past when his life is changed by new client Mae. A simple case becomes an obsession after she disappears and he fights to learn the truth about her.

Genre: Mystery,Romance,Sci-Fi

Films with a message are rare to find these days. Most films are a CGI mess with little plot so it is easier for foreign (i.e. China) to digest. So when a film does come along with a message, it is a nice surprise. I didn’t expect it from a film released in the middle of August, the Dead Sea of the summer movie schedule. The film Reminiscence does offer up such a message. Our memories, and the way that we cherish them. How events in the past can impact or direct the future. While it is beautifully shot and brings in solid performances from the leads, the film gets bogged down in plot details and ultimately ends up being a fine film, but not a great one. 

Great World Building, But Not Enough Character To Fill It. 

The film is set in the future (when exactly, we aren’t told) in Miami. The waters have risen to a point that the city is partially flood. We are also told of an unnamed war on “the border”. I don’t mind the ambiguity surrounding these events. We don’t need everything spelled out. These two events shape a very visual interesting and complicated environment for our protagonist (Jackman). The little details in how the water flows over the walls to how everyone sleeps during the day because it is too hot out help flesh out this story. It is a world that draws you in, that you would want to explore. 

 The Cast

Hugh Jackman (Nick Bannister) seems like a really likable guy in real life. As far as his film career, outside of the X-Men I haven’t found myself watching his films. That being said, he was very solid in this role. He plays the gruff guy well and you can feel the emotions that he is conveying. I have always though he was a lead man and this performance didn’t change my opinion of that. I don’t get the hype on Rebecca Ferguson (Mae). Is it because she is British? Yeah she was good in the Mission Impossible films, but nothing that distinguishes her from anyone else who could have been cast. I’m not saying she is inherently bad, just that she is perfectly adequate. That trend continues in this film. Thandiwe Newton’s (Watts) part could have been played by a guy and I suspect it was originally written for a man. The uber tough, hard drinking, war veteran trope is easy to spot. It feels like the producers where told they needed more BIPOC’s in the film and since they could swap out Jackman or Ferguson, this was the easiest. She’s fine (you noticing a pattern?) Cliff Curtis (Cyrus Boothe) does a fine job in his normal routine. The cast was, fine. 

Plot & Pacing

Reminiscence is the act of recollecting past experiences or events. That is what they want to get across with this film, our relationship with the past and how that could change if you could relive it. After quickly and efficiently giving us the background, and grounding our characters in their routine, the plot kicks off with the arrival of Ferguson. Without spoiling things, the film quickly spirals and Bannister is determined to fine her.  The plot is by the numbers once you figure it out, it really is the weakest part of the film. 

The pacing is done well, director Lisa Joy (who also wrote it) doesn’t get too bogged down, moves along nicely for the 2+ hour runtime. 

Technical notes

This film plays with the fact that you could be watching a potential memory at every time, which never gave you a sense of certainty, which was nice. It needs it cover the thin plot. A lot of attention was paid to the details about the world this story inhabits, wish a little more was put into the actual story. 

Unnecessary explicit scene of sexuality at the beginning of the film, rest of the film is acceptable. The film itself is beautifully shot with a nice moody soundtrack to fit this noir tone 

Overall 

Reminiscence has a lot of potential. Despite fine performances and a beautiful visuals, a by the numbers script keeps it from reaching that potential. 

Score:

2 Out Of 4 Briefcases