Review of Before I Go to Sleep (2014) by Steve S — 11 Apr 2015

Well-acted, competently composed, but derivative, Before I Go to Sleep does enough to keep you interested for its short run, but not enough to make you remember it much before you decide to go to sleep yourself. When a woman undergoes a horrific accident, suffers a brain disorder causing her short-term memory to be wiped out each day. Left bewildered, she is left to put the pieces together to create one horrible puzzle.

The film certainly has shades of other similarly themed thrillers, such as memento, so it can't be given too much credit for its premise. However, the film does turn in three laudable performances from its better than average cast, headlined by Oscar winners Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. Their dynamic on screen represents the most exciting aspect of the film, with Kidman selling her role with great skill. The direction is competent, and keeps the film moving at a good solid pace.

The script tries to give us twists and turns, yet they are never as impactful as the film hopes they are. This is due to poor set-up and decreasing realism. It's not lackluster but it's also not distinctive. The film simply does not distinguish itself, we see the major arcs complete before they do, and are ultimately left unimpressed by the ending. All in all, it's an okay film, but not ambitious to stand out.

3/5 Stars.