What do you know, really? Are you absolutely sure of your name, like 100%? Your date of birth? Your profession? Your favorite color? When you wake up and a partner is beside you, are you sure that’s your significant other? Of course you do, silly question. But what if you couldn’t guarantee it? What if you had to draw yourself a diagram? Would you trust you?
Christine (Nicole Kidman) wakes up nude in a suburban bedroom with an arm draped around her. She knows exactly what we know – nothing. We assume “housewife,” but who can say? Luckily, there’s a Colin Firth-riddled shrine/collage in the bathroom. Can’t miss it. Ah, wedding pictures, intimate moments – look, we’re the picture that comes with the frame! I’m married to “Ben,” am I? Is this right? Do I enjoy my life? Ben reassures her. It is unsatisfying and frustrating to have a memory wipe that coincides with every nap. Guess I gotta stuff in my entire life Before I Go to Sleep.
I can’t help thinking how tiresome it must be to marry an amnesiac. I might be able to live with explaining to my spouse every.single.morning, “you had an accident. You don’t remember anything. We’re married. I’m your husband. We have a child. You love us.” You see the problem with that, don’t you? No, it isn’t in the ‘getting your life up to speed’ part, or the endless medical explanations or even the ‘gee, what if your spouse isn’t easy?’ (In my world, it’s kinda hard to get some on a first date, ifyouknowwhatImean.) No, the biggest issue for me is every.single.day of your life you are secondary, because, let’s face it, the person who can’t remember jack has bigger issues than you do no matter what other issues you have. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sympathetic; just … films like these tend to show the burden as unique to the victim — there is plenty of burden here in the round.
Years ago, I reviewed Memento and came up with a small list of useful professions for a memory-challenged individual. I don’t see Nicole Kidman as a rodeo clown or bridge toll taker, so I’m going to come up with some alternatives: interior decorator, fashion 
designer, hockey goalie – there’s a greater skill set there, of course, but all of those professions ask you to forget everything that happened yesterday and deal with the moment. I bet Nicole would make a kick-ass goalie.
You gotta hand to movies; I imagine the reality of traumatic memory loss being an experience that prompts one to beat his/her head against a wall. Instead, there’s a decent thriller here – see, Ben lies a bunch – and when an amnesiac catches you lying … seriously? And on the side, Dr. Nasch (Mark Strong) has a covert relationship with Christine, asking her to tape a personal-and-private confessional every night to draw upon when he phones her in the morning. You trust you, right? Hmmmm. Christine’s head was damaged in a show of violence. Did that have something to do with her husband? An affair? Did she have a child?
There’s a thrill or two here even if you guess the plot, which you might. Or you might not. I forget. What was I talking about again? Who are you?
♪Morning
Not a sound from the bathroom
How did I lose my memory?
I do not know [duh]
In the track light
The evidence collected tells me
That the guy there could be mine
Memory, every day is a challenge
I wonder if Oprah
Is still on the air
I remember getting beaten up in a hotel
Conclusion: I hate my life♫
Rated R, 92 Minutes
D: Rowan Joffe
W: Rowan Joffe
Genre: Don’t remember
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Don’t remember
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Don’t remember
♪ Parody inspired by “Memory”
