Why are sci-fi/private detectives are such a common breed? Sure, Blade Runner and its sequel made a nice job of updating Hammett and Chandler to the 21st century but both films flopped hard on release. Their cult status, however, seems to ensure that there’s a steady stream of mob bosses presiding over augmented realities, film noir club nightclub-singers and self-regarding wise-guy voice overs that absolutely never work.
Step forward Lisa Joy, whose first season of Westworld rang some successful changes to the venerable property, but who doesn’t seem to have many of her own ideas about how to mesh past and future, even when her theme is memory. Hugh Jackman plays Nick Bannister, who specialises in using a sensory deprivation tank to help his clients return to favourite memories of the past. Together with gal-pal Emily (Thandiwe Newton), Nick is taken in when an obvious set-up arrives in the form of nightclub singer Mae (Rebecca Ferguson), who wants Nick to help her look for her lost keys. This seems like a simple use for such complex instruments, but Mae is taking Nick for a ride, and soon he’s mixed up with crooked politicians known as Barons, drug kingpins and the usual suspects, against a background of a waterlogged Miami and New Orleans.
Reminiscence has pulled in two million dollars in the US on a $60 million budget, and it’s easy to see why; the cast, the look, the storyline, pretty much all of them misfire. The emphasis on water and drowning is consistent; even the one big action set-piece sees Nick trying to avoid flying bullets while his head is stuck in a fish-tank. The romantic elements works a little better, which Jackman and Ferguson at least looking the part, although those surprised when Newton ended a career of dud performances with her lively work in Westworld will lament that she reverts to type here.
Reminiscence has at least some ideas to play with; as in Last Year in Marienbad, there’s a suggestion that the past has a narcotic attraction, although a separate plot device about an actual narcotic called Baca only clutters the narrative. Sci-fi should be a fun way of exploring new ideas, but unfortunately the over-stuffed version featuring in Lisa Joy’s version is far too derivative of previous models. Even outside of a pandemic that’s slicing the box-office into tiny fractions of anticipated takes, Reminiscence is the kind of joyless project that doesn’t stick in the memory.
Reminiscence is out now in UK cinemas and on HBO Max in the US.
From your review it certainly doesn’t sound worth 3 stars so why the score?
The romance things works better than the sci-fi, and it’s quite a lush production. Just doesn’t quite work.
Too bad. I really wanted to see this one…the trailer looked good, and I like Hugh Jackman. Next time I go to the theater, think I’ll see Stillwater instead based on your recommendation.
Oh, that’s certainly the best of the two. Would be keen to know what you think since several trusted friends found it boring, but I really did not. Stay safe!
I watched the trailer for this in the cinema, and for a split second it looked decent, but something just seemed a bit bloated about it. I will watch it when it’s available on VHS.
That might be a long wait! I’d go for DVD or streaming, although VHS or Betamax would be a cool retro look for this…
Yeah I’m reading reviews on this with similar conclusions. It’s a shame as all three actors are class mostly. I’ll not rush to see it.
It’s better than I’d heard, but still, rather stodgy fare…
I haven’t even seen it yet and I’ve already forgotten it!
Amazing!!!! 😉
What were we talking about again?
Good question.
Blue bunnies? Or dr thunder soda? OR maybe Star Wars.
Yeah, it was Star Wars and how great the original trilogy was. I distinctly remember that part anyway…
Oh, yes, the first one was good.
Who was dr thunder soda? A licensed MD?
Yep, Dr Thunder is the doctor who makes you feel good at Walmart….
Is his first name Bringda?
I think Thunder is his first name. I believe his last name is Nunder.
Not the same guy then. Blue Thunder is my guy.
I though Blue retired to go on a sea quest?
He did, Ryan Seaquest was his stage name. He had letters after his name, DSV.
I see you are a learned man of letters too!
Glad we could Reminisce like this 😉
What were we talking about again? Hugh Jackman would kill for such top repartee…
If Hugh
would just paint his bottom blue
then to Braveheart
he could be true.
So I believe we were talking about the Irish and how Wolverine is secretly Irish….
Lovely poem.
Yea, he could be Irish, Jackman can Riverdance, right?
I can say with total honesty that I’ve never seen Hugh NOT do the riverdance, so I’m sure he can.
That’s the dance where they have the russian hats on their hats and they dance at knee level, right?
And thanks. Took me hours of hard work to get it just right…
Is there a publication date for your collected poetry?
3001: A Poetry Odyssey.
And it will be published in 3001 too.
I’ll wait!
It’s going to be the Release of the Millennium. Guaranteed or your money back…
My money back is guaranteed? Shouldn’t I just keep it then?
Your money is guaranteed because you’ll love the poems so much that you will want to give me more money….
Ok, so it’s a given, so could you just start sending me the money back?
Once you’ve sent it to me I’ll be glad to send it back….
Great, just put the money in a bag and send it to me.
I’ll put it in a ghost bag….
OK, I’ll be ready for it!
SURPRISE!!!!
…….filled with ghost bees……
What? Where’s the cash?
So, there’s no ghost bees eh? These ghost bees stinging you say otherwise!
Better get some ghost benadryl quick!
The only sting baddies. Be nice to bees and they will be nice to you.
Spoken like a true urbanite wild child 😀
What does that even mean?
If I knew that, I probably wouldn’t have written it.
I get into The Zone when writing comments on your posts. Like a stream of consciousness thing, but more fun because of ghosts and stuff.
Wow, that sounds amazing, let me know when it starts!