Reminiscence (2021)

Directed by: Lisa Joy | 116 minutes | action, thriller | Actors: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Marina de Tavira, Daniel Wu, Mojean Aria, Brett Cullen, Natalie Martinez, Angela Sarafyan, Javier Molina, Sam Medina, Norio Nishimura, Roxton Garcia, Giovannie Cruz, Woon Young Park, Han Soto

The AVG may nowadays make it quite difficult for companies and associations, in the future they will apparently no longer have any problems with it, if you are to believe sci-fi/thriller ‘Reminiscence’. In this film by Lisa Joy (“Westworld”), the world has become such a pool of misery that people are only too happy to go back to memories of happier times. That the memories for that person feel as lifelike (including sensory perceptions such as smell, taste and touch) is up to that point, but that the events take place like a 3D film (with holograms) before the eyes of the memory detective who uses this technique. is not exactly privacy-proof.

Hugh Jackman plays this memory detective, Nick Bannister. He and his business partner Watts (Thandiwe Newton) share a military history, but it’s unclear exactly what happened to make the world go to the Philistines. There is talk of war and climate change, but at least the result is that much of Miami is under water and the regular mode of transport is by boat. In addition, the gap between rich and poor has only widened. Business is not going too well, nevertheless regular customers of Nick and Watts do not always get the bill, but they can use the memory machine for free. When attractive nightclub singer Mae (Rebecca Ferguson) wants to be hooked up to the device, Nick becomes enchanted by her. Fortunately for Nick, the interest is mutual, but this joyful state does not last very long, as Mae disappears without a trace. How lucky that Nick is a detective…

‘Reminiscence’ is a mixture of genres. In addition to science fiction and romance, the film also has elements of crime thriller and film noir in it. Lisa Joy’s ambitious screenplay was on the 2013 Black List (an annual list of best unproduced screenplays), but the story is too full of side plots and at the same time too empty, lacking much-needed context. The film lacks tension and momentum. In addition, the technique of the memory machine rattles and therefore certain elements of the story (explained ostentatiously by Nick to Mae in one scene, but it doesn’t make sense). Still, Joy manages to exploit the possibilities of the memory machine, the device not only serves as a ‘memory store’ and in that capacity as a reference book – which is essential to the plot, but she also gives her characters options to influence the present. That’s nice done.

Visually, ‘Reminiscence’ looks like a ring toss. The images of an underwater city and the busy nightlife because it is simply too hot to do anything during the day are fascinating and terrifying at the same time. However, it is mainly atmosphere and not content, because this setting has no further function. The always reliable Jackman and the certainly convincing Newton in the emotional scenes actually believe in the project and it pays off. Ferguson is little more than a femme fatale, but still a pleasant appearance and her chemistry with Jackman is palpable. ‘Reminiscence’ is therefore a typical case of just or not. It is mainly a film for people who do not want to analyze the film afterwards. Lots of potential, but the execution has fallen short.