Memory

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/memory-review-a-poignant-exploration-of-the-importance-of-memories/ "Memory is a poignant exploration of identity and relationships, anchored by mesmerizing performances from Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard. Michel Franco delves into the profound significance of memories, tackling heavy themes such as dementia, sexual abuse, familial distrust, and trauma with authentic, non-exploitative care. The deliberately subtle technical choices, such as a colorless palette and the absence of a musical score, heighten the sensitive weight of the…

How we remember our past is something we can all bank on, right? Or is it? For instance, what happens when mitigating influences impact our memory, potentially causing it to become fallible and untrustworthy? Can we truly rely on our recall then? Those are among the questions raised in the unconventional new romantic thriller from writer-director Michel Franco. The film follows the life of Sylvia, a recovering alcoholic with a troubled past (Jessica Chastain), who’s unexpectedly (and alarmingly) followed home from her high school reunion by an alleged former classmate, Saul (Peter…

Whilst the subject matter here is quite interesting, the execution isn't especially. "Sylvia" (Jessica Chastain) is working in the social care system whilst bringing up her daughter "Anna" (Brooke Taylor). Her life, as effectively illustrated by her door locking and burglar alarm routine each day, is a structured affair with little variation. She has a strong relationship with her sister but is completely estranged from her mother. The two women attend a school reunion one night and, leaving early, she is followed home. It's a miserable night and next morning she discovers him asleep outside…

Memory is a quiet film that runs the risk of being trampled by flashier fare at the box office. That’d be a damn shame, because this story really matters. It’s meaningful and real, and it’s brought to life by a pair of excellent performances that really don’t feel like performances. Despite the dark themes, there’s a light Sylvia & Saul create together that’s warm and funny and real (with a bathtub scene that’s as romantic as any you’ll see this year). There’s no neat resolution. It’s a slice of life, and these lives will keep going – we don’t know what happens next. Like Saul, we just get…