Murder in Mind (1997)A woman undergoes hypnosis to determine who murdered her husband, a crime for which she is the chief suspect. Director:Andrew MorahanWriter:Michael Cooney |
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Murder in Mind (1997)A woman undergoes hypnosis to determine who murdered her husband, a crime for which she is the chief suspect. Director:Andrew MorahanWriter:Michael Cooney |
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| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Nigel Hawthorne | ... |
Dr. Ellis
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| Mary-Louise Parker | ... |
Caroline Walker
(as Mary Louise Parker)
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| Jimmy Smits | ... |
Peter Walker
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| Jason Scott Lee | ... |
Holloway
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| Gailard Sartain | ... |
Charlie
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| Jon Cedar | ... |
Superior Officer
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| Ingo Neuhaus | ... |
Officer
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| Art Metrano | ... |
Judge
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| Rob LaBelle | ... |
Lecturer
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| Mitch Ward | ... |
Court Clerk
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Anne De Salvo | ... |
Flustered Attorney
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| Jodi Long | ... |
Secretary, Helen
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Eric Cadora | ... |
Secretary #2, Patrick
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Nicholas Cascone | ... |
Prosecutor
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Elizabeth Norment | ... |
Dr. Beck
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The L.A. police find two bodies in a fancy house and suspect the wife of one victim. Dr. Ellis, a hypnotherapist, takes her back in time; with the police listening, a pattern of spousal abuse emerges. When each trance ends, however, the woman, Carolyn Walker, wonders if those repressed memories are true. Dr. Ellis guides her through her trial, testifies himself, and continues treatment after the verdict is in. Carolyn's memory and well-being get worse after the trial, not better. She misses some therapy sessions, and Dr. Ellis comes to see her at home. Snatches of memory come and go. Can he help her remember what really happened? Are the cops satisfied justice has been done? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Confused murder suspect cannot remember if she murdered her rich husband.
Against the better judgment of hard-bitten "throw the book at her and save tax-payers' money" type police department, smooth psychologist/hypnotist (Nigel Hawthorne) helps her to relive the night of the murder by means of regression into her past.
However, as she relives life with her husband she begins to notice that lots of details don't quite match her memories. What really happened?
This is NOT a fantastic film, I wouldn't pay money to see it in a cinema, for example. The depiction of hypnosis is bizarre enough to initially seem quite funny.
Once you get over that rather shaky plot device though, the various layers of reality brought up by the hypnosis are quite interesting in a "what is reality?" way. It reminded me the teensiest little bit of "Memento" and even though it was late at night I ignored the film's more pretentious angles and sat through the entire thing. Mainly to see why the memory discrepancies occurred and so on.
The lighting and photography are also quite nice.