Before I Go to Sleep

I went into Rowan Joffé's second feature Before I Go to Sleep assuming that it would actually send me to sleep. The trailer presented me with what seemed like a melodramatic and most-likely uninteresting premise. However, I certainly didn't anticipate the twisting and over-the-top narrative, that would unfold before my eyes over the next ninety minutes.

Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman) is an amnesiac that wakes up every morning with no knowledge of anything much beyond her late twenties. Ben (Colin Firth), her husband, has to explain to her over-and-over again that she was involved in an 'accident' and that they have been happily married for years, with an upcoming anniversary that he is preparing a surprise for. Christine receives a call from Dr. Nasch (Mark Strong), a neurologist that she has apparently been receiving treatment from - behind Ben's back - and has asked her to record a video every evening before she goes to sleep, to remind her who she is, and anything that she has uncovered about herself and those around her during the day. Dr. Nasch hopes that this will eventually trigger Christine's memories and help her to discover the truth about her past.

Now obviously I can't say too much about the plot for fear of spoiling it, but I can say, that when it's all pieced together, it is utterly ridiculous. Not that a ridiculous plot can't be engaging, and for the most part this is, however, it's also frustrating in the extreme. The story never seems to get rolling before Christine loses her memory and she starts to backtrack, but unlike in similar movies, such as Memento - which this film seems to draw a lot of inspiration from - we aren't really provided with sufficient clues to start piecing it together. It's like an (even more) irritating version of Groundhog Day, but without the fun of Bill Murray. Instead, the audience trudges along, exploring every possible red-herring before getting smashed in the face with a ludicrous, yet somehow still clichéd denouement.

I must say, I've never been much of a fan of Nicole Kidman, but this is quite a superb performance from her. She perfectly conveys the isolation and frustration that engulfs Christine's life. Supporting her, there's Colin Firth, who is about as good as the script allows for his part - although, given the nature of the character, I can't help but feel that he's a slightly unusual casting choice - and there's Mark Strong, who is fairly decent as Dr. Nasch.

One of the more interesting elements of the film is its seemingly aggressive cinematography. The camera becomes a brooding, almost voyeuristic presence in Christine's life, with the closest comparison I can think of being the hotel in The Shining, personified through the camera. Then there's the sound design, which utilises sudden noises to work with the image in creating an unnerving experience for the audience.

I may have spent a whole paragraph rambling on about the ludicrous nature of the plot, but Before I go to Sleep still manages to remain quite an engaging experience. It has great acting from the leads, and the true look & feel of a psychological thriller. Unfortunately though, in this case, seeing is not believing.