Remember

I began watching Remember with no great expectations; I thought I'd watch the first 20 minutes or so, and if it seemed promising, I'd come back to it at a later time perhaps.

You will already be aware of the plot/story-line from other reviews etc...; but for those who have not yet seen it, it has a beautiful way of drawing you in somehow. Beautifully written, yet powerful; I found I was becoming so immersed in the movie that there would be no 'coming back to it later'.

Casting and acting are excellent all-round, in what turned out to be perhaps one of the best films I've seen over the past 18 months or so.

There's very little else I can say regarding the film other than 'watch it'... it's excellent.

9/10

Remember is indeed an exceptionally good solid movie, I have to thank IMDb reviewers for pointing it out, I could have easily missed this one, cerebral thrillers are sometimes difficult to watch for me and most often than not satisfaction for the viewer is scarce.

In a society that is constantly becoming older, elder citizens are becoming more and more a part of our social experience and (hopefully) old age will be a much greater part of our own lifetime in the future. Unfortunately memory loss and mental faculties degeneration is a growing threat directly to us or indirectly through our loved ones. Since it's not "cool" this pressing theme is often ignored in movies. Remember makes the best out of it in a surprisingly immersive movie.

The protagonist will fight increasingly daunting external threats and difficulties in his hunt for the enemy/nemesis that has become the unique and last purpose of his life. But that's only half of the story, the hero's physical flaws and internal struggle with his own dysfunctional brain is a whole added yet perfectly merged battleground in which he has to fight his own self.

Depicting such an epic struggle in an immersive storytelling is a massive victory for the script and the actors, no shortcuts taken there, everyone delivers and the protagonist gives a top performance. Photography and music constantly enhance the story but thanks to a superb directing and competent production all the factors involved are smoothly united towards an almost perfect product.

In a striking similarity to Memento, a forgetful man wanders around with one goal of finding the men from his past. This is not the ordinary thriller as it's significantly slower with a peculiar lead character, yet it's surprisingly just as effective as any high octane action . The journey is not a happy one, and it builds audience's expectation in clever way that when the goal is reached, none of the outcomes seems to be pleasant.

Zev (Christopher Plummer) is an old man with dementia. After the death of his wife, his friend hands him a letter containing a mission to find the men from Auschwitz. Christopher Plummer is truly exceptional, he displays the courage as though his character is a secret agent despite deep down he's plagued with terror and uncertainty. His often meek demeanor is sympathetic to watch, but at the same time one can invest in his endeavor and motive.

The visual and audio are designed to create suspense even in trivial moments. Its main focus is a man with dementia, and little things might rattle him, so any bump in the trip proves to be challenging. Acting from the rest of cast is commendable. Characters would most likely help Zev, yet there's an unsettling feeling that their reactions can be antagonistic, especially since Zev is not particularly suave with words.

It plays with the awkward situation really well with the solemn music and view of scenery that feels darker even though it never literally becomes that way. On the other hand, this could also hamper the pace. This is far from action thriller, more investment is made towards the drama instead of gun-slinging action.

Zev's adventure is a bizarre and slow one, it's an ironic tale of both kindness and cruelty of others. Unsettling yet charming in its somber steps.

Atom Egoyan in fine form directing a fascinating story of revenge and identity loss. Christopher Plummer plays the main character with the sense of consistent and strong characterization that he has done so well for over forty years. This is definitely one of his more convincing roles, and since the focus is on his character the entire time, he truly had to carry this picture along. He does so with complete conviction and confidence.

What makes the story so interesting and keeps it moving are the separate stops on the journey of the main character. In each place he visits there are additional members of the supporting cast introduced, each of whom add a uniqueness and individuality to the scenes that play out. Dean Norris certainly plays an intensely well suited and memorable role. Egoyan keeps up his trademark use of strange and unusual locations, and any fan of the director will not be disappointed.

There is a great twist in this story, one of the better ones I've seen in a while. Some good advice would be to not read any of the spoilers, although the description of how the plot changes would take up several paragraphs. You're better off watching the movie and enjoying Mychael Danna's brilliant soundtrack as an added bonus.

I didn't have many expectations when I started watching the movie. I am particularly interested in WWII movies, and I have watched many movies that deal with the Nazi period. However, this one goes beyond that typical movie. We get to know a man with dementia trying to avenge the death of his family. We start off an interesting idea. The hour went by quickly, as we go into the depth of this revenge. However, it is the ending that takes it all. It left me speechless and at the same time, left me thinking, reflecting on every character and situation. If you're in doubt whether to watch it or not, let me advise you: watch it, you won't regret it. However, be ready to explore some deep thoughts afterward.