The Holocaust has long been a center topic of cinema, ranging from films such as Schindler's List to Phoenix. Remember looks at the post-Holocaust world and an aging man searching for a Nazi. There is a combination of genres in this one including mystery, action, and drama. The fresh take on the Holocaust topic brings us a slower and less intense flick revolving around an old man who suffers from dementia. Christopher Plummer (Up, The Sound of Music) portrays his character with finesse and experience, creating a believable aged man who has trouble understanding the world around him.
When I first saw the trailer for the film, I expected much more action and intensity. Rather, the film is drawn out, moving at the pace of a snail. Imagine if Memento was directed by Steve McQueen and you will get the idea of how this film rolls. Choosing this sort of pacing was necessary because of the characters and storyline, but I wanted the film to move faster. I felt disengaged from the subject matter at times because there was a lot of repetition and a lot of watching an old man with dementia. This film succeeds in being an art form, but struggles to entertain a younger audience.
With everything previously stated, I definitely encourage everyone to watch this film solely because of the ending. It may be a struggle to sit through, but the payoff is extremely rewarding. A twist creates the perfect ending for a slow film based around such an emotional subject. Eventually, I really want to re-watch the film to see if I can identify certain hints for the ending. I am sure that Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) placed certain hints throughout the whole film since he is such a creative director.
The Bottom Line: More of an art film than a blockbuster, Remember is slow and hard to watch but still successfully adds to a plethora of films already revolving around the Holocaust.
Score: 8/10
Image credit: http://www.impawards.com/intl/canada/2015/posters/remember.jpg
When I first saw the trailer for the film, I expected much more action and intensity. Rather, the film is drawn out, moving at the pace of a snail. Imagine if Memento was directed by Steve McQueen and you will get the idea of how this film rolls. Choosing this sort of pacing was necessary because of the characters and storyline, but I wanted the film to move faster. I felt disengaged from the subject matter at times because there was a lot of repetition and a lot of watching an old man with dementia. This film succeeds in being an art form, but struggles to entertain a younger audience.
With everything previously stated, I definitely encourage everyone to watch this film solely because of the ending. It may be a struggle to sit through, but the payoff is extremely rewarding. A twist creates the perfect ending for a slow film based around such an emotional subject. Eventually, I really want to re-watch the film to see if I can identify certain hints for the ending. I am sure that Atom Egoyan (The Sweet Hereafter) placed certain hints throughout the whole film since he is such a creative director.
The Bottom Line: More of an art film than a blockbuster, Remember is slow and hard to watch but still successfully adds to a plethora of films already revolving around the Holocaust.
Score: 8/10
Image credit: http://www.impawards.com/intl/canada/2015/posters/remember.jpg
