Reminiscence - Film Review

Going to the movies is an experience that (for me at least) has always left a bit of an afterglow with every viewing. I have to be careful not to think too rosily of the film I just saw. A lot of times, I find my opinion of something worsening over time, however I'm excited to say that this movie is different. What started with a bad impression, somehow got better and better with time. I give credit to any film that leaves its viewers still dwelling on it well after the credits have rolled to a close. I find it ironic to look back on a film all about memory, but this is definitely one worth thinking back on.

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Where You Can Find It: I saw this in theaters, however it is also available for streaming on HBO Max.

General Information 
Reminiscence is a neo-noir science fiction thriller that was released on 20 August 2021. It was written, directed, and co-produced by Lisa Joy with Warner Bros. Pictures distributing. Paul Cameron did the cinematography for this film, while Ramin Djawadi provided the score. As of 25 August 2021, the film has brought in a total of $4.5 million at the box office, which is against its approximate $62 million budget, however the film was also simultaneously released via HBO Max and the COVID-19 Pandemic is still ravaging most theaters. Critically thus far, the film has received fairly poor reviews with a 46 Metascore on Metacritic, and a stinging 39% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.

The Story

In a not-too-distant future where global warming has vastly flooded much of the planet, war veteran, Nick Bannister (played by Hugh Jackman) runs a small business that uses interrogation technology from the war to help people relive memories. In his little corner of Miami, the crippled can recall what it was like to run and the lonely can revisit the feelings of companionship they lost long ago. It's on an ordinary night that everything changes when Nick meets Mae (Rebecca Ferguson). The two fall in love, but she disappears one day under mysterious circumstances. Nick and his old war buddy, Watts (Thandiwe Newton), will have to investigate not just the present, but also the past as they search for Nick's lost love. Their journey will make them question whether some memories are worth keeping.

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Nick is the scarred ferryman that guides his patients through their memories

Starting out, I wasn't all that impressed with this film. Nick and Mae's relationship felt under-cooked and Watts felt fairly one-note, however the plot takes its time in building and once the pieces fall together things start to really shine. Much of the story is carried out via other peoples' memories, which (partially) explains why Nick's and Mae's relationship feels so underwhelming. Seemingly loose threads seen at the beginning tie into the climax, and I have to admit that I felt fairly satisfied with the conclusion. If Mae's character had been explored a bit more before her disappearance, I think this could've really hit legendary heights.

Something I love about this film's take on memories is how they can be both a force for good and evil. Nick's patients are both pitied and held with contempt as they pay Nick to revisit happier times while potentially ignoring the present and future. Watts is quick to criticize a regular customer who keeps coming back to experience being held by a lost lover, but her judgement is murky at best as we soon see she's an alcoholic that drinks to forget her own past. Nick also presents himself as an untainted observer to others' journeys but once his relationship with Mae begins the viewer can tell that he is no different as he becomes engrossed in his memories to find Mae. It's a fascinating blend of science fiction and psychology, and I absolutely applaud Lisa Joy's creativity.

Special Effects/Atmosphere

Science fiction is always tricky in film as it can be hard to make something that isn't real look believable. The presentation of a flooded Miami was quite fascinating as South Beach is now mostly flooded with travel done via boats, while the rich have bought up all the high-elevated land and surrounded themselves with dams, which further separate the wealthy from the poor. There's a noticeable blend of anachronistic technology mixed with current and future tech that bares a similarity to other science fiction films like Blade Runner 2049 and Hotel Artemis. I found some of this to be a tad over the top from a world-building perspective, but it aesthetically looks great.

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It's beautiful, but why are we using an old film projector when we have holograms now?

Similarly to the beautiful anachronisms, Paul Cameron's cinematography is equally impressive. A fight scene in a half-flooded hotel is almost surreal as characters nearly drown, while many of the shots involving the memory device are quite beautiful to behold. Some of the other action sequences are a bit hit-or-miss, but the scenes specifically involving memory viewing are genuinely great and are only improved with Ramin Djawadi's ethereal scoring.

The Acting

It's been a while since I saw Hugh Jackman in anything that didn't involve singing or claws, so I wasn't all that sure of what to expect with him as the leading man in this. As an action star, I know he can deliver when it comes to fight scenes, but I wasn't all that certain when it came to actual drama. His gravelly voice worked great for Nick's soothing guidance during the memory trip portions of the film, and I thought he conveyed Nick's desperation for answers near the end quite well.

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Hugh Jackman does a fantastic job as Nick Bannister

An area where this film struggles is Mae's and Nick's relationship. I address some of these failings in the story, however the chemistry between Jackman and Rebecca Ferguson just doesn't seem quite all that great. Their characters are supposed to be in love, however I just don't really buy it completely when they're together in front of the camera. Ferguson delivers near the end with a pretty good monologue, however whenever the two are onscreen together, I just felt like something was missing.

In regards to the supporting cast, my reaction was fairly mixed. Thandiwe Newton is new to me, and she does an okay job, but there were times where it felt like she was trying too hard to be tough and badass. It was great seeing Cliff Curtis again, as it's been a while since I saw him in something, and I think he did a great job as the ruthless dirty cop, Cyrus Boothe. Daniel Wu was probably the worst when it came to acting, however he's not so bad that he actively hurts the film, but I will admit I was glad he was only in a small amount of the film.

The Best of the Best: The concepts of memory used in unique and artistic ways was really fascinating.

The Worst of the Worst: Mae's underdeveloped character.

Calhooey Score: 7/10 - Good

Would I Recommend?

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It's a journey worth remembering

Reminiscence turned out to be a lot better than I expected it would be. Lisa Joy presents an interesting future that discusses whether the past is worth dwelling on and leaves it to the viewers to decide. This film gave me plenty to think about and I recommend this to those that like the cyberpunk neo-noir genre. It's worth seeing in theaters or as a rental for sure.

Spoiler Comments

• South Beach is a little wetter than I recall it being...
• I assumed Nick had a plan when he walked into St. Joe's hideout. I assumed wrong...
• Nick can hold his breath for a really long time.
• As much as I liked Mae's monologue, I found it a bit strange that Cyrus was willing to listen to her go on and on.
• The antique shop at the Sylvan mansion was really incredible and probably one of my favorite parts of the film. An entire recreation made purely for one person's self-indulgence.
• I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad for Nick by the end. He's trapped himself in a memory loop where it's entirely possible he could've found happiness elsewhere. I think that if I had more investment with Mae, I would understand his choice, but I think it's clear that Watts came out of this better than anyone else.

References

(1) Reminiscence. (n.d.). Reminiscence film image. IMDB. Retrieved from: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3272066/.

(2) Orquiola, J. (2021, June 3). Nick and memory machine image. ScreenRant. Retrieved from: https://screenrant.com/reminiscence-trailer-breakdown-story-details-behind-scenes-secrets/.

(3) Reminiscence. (n.d.). Confused Nick Bannister gif. Tenor. Retrieved from: https://tenor.com/view/confused-nick-bannister-hugh-jackman-reminiscence-watching-gif-21906650.

(4) Reminiscence. (2021, August 16). Hugh Jackman image. IGN. Retrieved from: https://www.ign.com/videos/reminiscence-hugh-jackmans-sci-fi-movie-memories.

(5) Agrawal, S. (2021, August 20). Nick and Mae memory image. Digital Mafia Talkies. Retrieved from: https://dmtalkies.com/reminiscence-ending-explained-2021-film-hugh-jackman-lisa-joy/.