Imagine waking up everyday not knowing where you were or who was in your bed, without a single memory to help you out. Unfortunately for the main character, this is her life.
Everyday Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman) wakes up confused by the man laying next to her and questions why there are pictures and sticky notes with labels around the room and bathroom. Each day her husband Ben Lucas (Colin Firth) has to explain her past to her, including her accident and her loss of memory. Christine is an amnesiac and cannot form new memories. She will forget everything that happened to her the day before each morning she wakes up, as if the brain resets itself after sleeping.
As Ben leaves for work, Christine receives a phone call from a Dr. Nash (Mark Strong) telling her to look for a shoe box in the back of her wardrobe. In it, she will find a camera he had given her containing a video diary she was keeping. By keeping a video diary of each day, she would be able to rely on herself for information day-to-day, instead of other people. As she records the video diaries, she learns more and more that her memories aren’t the only things that are hiding. Secrets don’t stay hidden forever.
With a great cast, it is no wonder that the film delivered so well. The acting is well-executed and sincere. Nothing is cheesy or over-the-top during the dramatic scenes and nothing feels forced.
Kidman, even without saying a word, does a fantastic job portraying Christine’s panic and distress throughout the movie. Her eyes and expression tell the story so wonderfully, you feel her pain as you watch her battle her memory loss.
Firth, who usually plays a romantic lead character, gives a dark and alluring presence as he helps (and hinders) Kidman’s character everyday. There isn’t a second that you don’t see loss and grief on his face.
This roller coaster of a film presents many dramatic twists and turns that keep the audience completely engaged and on the edge of their seat. Even at times when the film seems predictable, another plot swoops in and takes the viewer by surprise. “Before I Go to Sleep” is a must-see and definitely memorable.
