'Before I Go To Sleep' Review: Puts Critics, Weekend Viewers To Sleep
Despite impressive performances from its two stars, Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, the thriller "Before I Go To Sleep" figuratively put many critics and viewers to sleep as it took a lowly No. 14 spot in the weekend box office with just $2 million earnings.
The plot of the film has been ridiculed by almost all reviewers who state that the "amnesia" theme has been exploited too many times in films like "50 First Dates." With a worn-out plot, it was left to Kidman and Firth to do much of the heavy lifting in the film.
The New York Times notes that Kidman and Firth did their best and put forth good performances which are the only redeeming elements of the film. It adds that without them the film would just be "an unwatchable, titter-inducing catastrophe."
Kidman plays the part of Christine Lucas while Firth plays her husband Ben in the movie directed by Rowan Joffé.
Kidman portrays a woman afflicted with amnesia who forgets all the events of the previous day when she wakes up every morning. She therefore has to be constantly reminded about her life by her husband Ben, who informs her that the amnesia resulted from a car accident.
Christine's therapist Dr. Nash (Mark Strong) calls her everyday to tell her about a hidden video camera. He also informs her that her memory loss was caused when she was attacked and not as a result of a car accident, and that Ben is withholding that information from her.
Ultimately it is revealed that the real Ben is not the culprit and that it was another guy named Mike who was responsible for attacking Christine and causing her memory loss.
How Christine arrives at this conclusion forms the rest of the plot. There is, however, a silver lining at the end as Christine gets to meet the real Ben and her teenage son.
