Awake (2007)

Director:

Joby Harold

Writer:

Joby Harold (written by)

Release Date:

30 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Every year, one in 700 people wake up during surgery. When they planned her husband's murder, they never thought he'd be the one.

Plot:

The story focuses on a man who suffers "anesthetic awareness" and finds himself awake and aware, but paralyzed, during heart surgery. His mother must wrestle with her own demons as a drama unfolds around them, while trying to unfold the story hidden behind her son's young wife.

Plot Keywords:

Surgery | Heart Surgery | Medication | Nonlinear Timeline | Hospital

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Hayden Christensen	...	Clay Beresford
Jessica Alba	...	Sam Lockwood
Terrence Howard	...	Dr. Jack Harper
Lena Olin	...	Lilith Beresford
Christopher McDonald	...	Dr. Larry Lupin
Sam Robards	...	Clayton Beresford Sr.
Arliss Howard	...	Dr. Jonathan Neyer
Fisher Stevens	...	Dr. Puttnam
Georgina Chapman	...	Penny Carver
David Harbour	...	Dracula
Steven Hinkle	...	Young Clay (as Stephen Hinkle)
Denis O'Hare	...	Financial News Analyst
Charlie Hewson	...	Brian the Orderly
Court Young	...	Officer Doherty
Joseph Costa	...	Dr. Elbogen

MPAA:

Rated R for language, an intense disturbing situation, and brief drug use.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43173) | Singapore:NC-16 | Ireland:15A | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Malaysia:U | Finland:K-13 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:R-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Chile:14 | Italy:VM14 | Peru:14 | Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

18 East 68th Street, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

GreeneStreet Films

Trivia:

Jessica Alba replaced Kate Bosworth after she dropped out to shoot Superman Returns (2006).

Goofs:

Factual errors: The surgeon starts prepping the op site even before the anesthesiologist intubates the patient. Usually you first sedate, then anesthetize & intubate the patient before any preparations starts b/c the sedatives and hypnotics tend to make a person susceptible to hallucinations & bad trips that could be triggered by sensory input (noise, light, the cold from the disinfectant).

Quotes:

Clay Beresford: Am I supposed to still hear you?

Soundtrack:

Jingle Bells

exciting

This was a thoroughly watchable and exciting medical thriller about a man who goes in for a heart transplant operation. The problem is, they don't use enough gas to knock him out completely, and as a result he remains fully alert during the operation but unable to talk or move. He then learns that the people involved are planning to kill him. He has an out-of-body-experience and learns more. You will need to listen closely to the conversation to pick up clues. You will also be truly surprised as the movie progresses. It reminded me a bit of an old Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode where a drug dealer is involved in a car accident and left completely paralyzed-but alive and in a similar situation. I really recommend this film and was very glad I finally got around to watching it in the theatre.

*** out of ****