nicole kidman - not usually a big drawcard for me
colin firth more appealing and together they work well
the railway man proved that and some good reviews for this one
a groundhog day kind of scenario with christine (kidman) central
she wakes every day with no memory of anything of prior days
husband ben explains who he is and what has happened to her
an accident several years ago doing the damage to her head
on this day ben advises christine of a trip away that night
he then heads off to work leaving christine alone for the day
there's a daily phone call from a doctor to provide instructions
mainly to retrieve and use a hidden camera to record her thoughts
not fully explained (yet) but her contact with dr nash is covert
he suggesting that it better if ben is not aware of their association
then the action is announced as going back a couple of weeks prior
same routine - she wakes in confusion - ben repeats the explanation
the phone call from dr nash and now also a discreet visit and journey
me thinking how generic the scenery is - could be usa, uk or europe
though the doctor's right hand drive black pug 407 indicates the uk
being distracted by scenery and cars and not characters a sure sign
ms kidman and her typically earnest acting not entirely convincing
but to the story - the doctor inadvertently reveals she was attacked
flashbacks used to graphically show the violent and bloody episode
every night she records the days events into the hidden camera
then each morning she replays the recording and confidence grows
a memory of a very close friend leads to a secret meeting with her
more of her past revealed - she had a child - and also an affair
ben divorced her and had an affair with clare her apparent friend
when she confronts him about all this he flips out and strikes her
a quite confronting scene actually and a major plot shift happens
with it back to the day we started on and ben is taking her away
uh-oh - they end up in the hotel seen in the violent flashbacks
a phone-call confirming ben is not her husband but her lover
having stepped in to her life and played the doting husband
a nasty piece of work with a vicious temper now resurrected
more disturbing scenes of violence and also towards women
but she overcomes him just as the police show up to save her
cut to her lying comatose in a hospital bed - the acting superb
(he says cynically but ms kidman with no lines does it well)
her real ex-husband ben visits and declares his enduring love
then to cap it all off - son adam comes in and the tears flow
with some expert tugging of heartstrings to wrap up the film
phew - colin firth once again lifting the film above average
nicole kidman continuing to add more credits to her c.v.
pretty forgettable really - a hitchcock-wannabe for sure
it will rise and fall quickly - in the usa, uk and europe...
