Memory

It's a drama of two persons with damaged memories seeking solace. The film is set in New York City in the early 2000s. Sylvia (Jessica Chastain) is a single mom who is overly protective of her 12-13-year-old daughter, Anna (Brooke Timber). Sylvia, an alcoholic who has been sober for 12 years, relates to her younger sister, Olivia (Merritt Wever), but is estranged from her mother, Samantha (Jessica Harper). The viewer soon learns of Sylvia's memories of abuse as a pre-teen.

Saul (Peter Sarsgaard) lives with his brother, Issac (Josh Charles). Saul's wife died some time ago. He has early-onset dementia that displays in unusual ways. Sylvia and Saul encounter each other at a reunion at the high school they both attended.

The film follows their improbable relationship that evolves despite a very rocky start. Their families react in different ways to what they observe in the relationship, and the ending is, in my mind, ambiguous.

Chastain is marvelous in her character. Sarsgaard is good, but the nature of his role makes for a relatively narrow personality. The role of Anna seems a tad unrealistic, but Timber plays it well. I found the film's editing to be superb. And I've always loved the Procul Harum song, "A Whiter Shade of Pale," that repeats as a theme throughout. Although the story feels improbable, I loved it.

Sylvia is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life. This is blown open when Saul follows her home from their high school reunion. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past.

The roles are played admirably by all of the main actors and with little prompt or background or character development, we slowly get to understand the main players and what drives them.

Sylvia is affected deeply by past memories that people try to convince her are untrue and that she is a liar and a bad person.

Saul cannot remember much at all as he has dementia. Polar opposites and yet attracted to one another leaning on each others strengths, whilst supporting each others weaknesses.

It's a little insight into dealing with people with dementia, and a glimpse of how people with a traumatic background can suffer right through life.

It's the friends and family who have to stand by them in times of stress.

It's a very quiet film with little meaningful dialogue, and some scenes where you have to fill in the blanks for yourself so if you're not getting what the film is about, you'll probably dislike it intensely.

If you do understand the work, family and personal dynamics you'll probably stick with it and love it by the end despite it being a hard watch.

I do believe Jessica Chastain can take any role, any role at all and turn it into something beautiful.

Main drawback: big chunks of dialogue are muttered so you don't hear what's aid. Watch this film with subtitles or you miss nuances.

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 Sarsgaard), whom she believes sexually molested her at that time. She's troubled by this latest development and questions his motives about it, which even he doesn't understand, especially when it's revealed that he suffers from dementia. And, in an added twist, it turns out that Sylvia's recall about her supposed past interaction with him is foggy, something that's not entirely surprising in light of her history. This revelation changes everything, and an entirely new relationship between them emerges, particularly when it comes to each of them helping one another sort of their respective pasts and begin the healing process. This includes the exposure of an array of additional developments and the persistence of some still-unresolved ambiguities, all of which emerge through a skillfully crafted narrative, effectively brought to life with the superb performances of Sarsgaard and Independent Spirit Award nominee Chastain. Admittedly, the picture's first half could benefit from some stepped-up pacing, most notably the elimination of some sequences that are occasionally redundant and innately tiresome. However, the intrigue and engagement ramp up significantly in the picture's back end, making up for much of the tedium in the opening act. Some of this is ironically accomplished through deftly handled nuance and subtlety, qualities that the filmmaker employs far more skillfully in the second half than in the first, where these traits are virtually obscured by prevailing understatement. Clearly, this is one of those releases that requires the viewer to give it some time to develop, but the payoff for doing so is worth it in the end. If nothing else, "Memory" provides us with a fresh perspective on its central theme while showing us how "like can cure like" in a psychological therapeutic process, an approach that can yield rewards beyond measure.

Story of the encounter of two lonely, battered souls, searching for love, peace, acceptance and meaning in life. Told with class, cleverly avoiding cheap sentimentalism, treating viewers as intelligent breed. Scenes are woven together so that story runs smoothly, lightning is beautiful. Jessica is on top form, acting with her usual style, persuasion and expressing just what the story needs. Sarsgaard gets under your skin with ease and charm. Merrit Wever is again persuading with her detachment and minimalism, reasons revealed at the end.

Movie that touches you deep, connects and lets you leave the theatre grateful for what it gives you. Highly recommended.

Hoo-boy, adulting is hard. There is very little light in this overcast tale of struggling grown-ups, resulting in a tough viewing experience.

Jessica Chastain, as an emotionally detached, recovering alcoholic single mother, and Peter Sarsgaard as a gentle giant simple man suffering from the onset of dementia, form an unlikely, damaged couple. Hated in fact. Sylvia believes Saul attacked her in high-school, and carries a lifetime of spite. Saul has no memory of the event, can offer no real defense, only a meek apology.

Mexican writer and director Michel Franco spins a messy web dealing with various memory issues with all parties involved. The film takes time to develop, often at an infuriating pace, offering very little to solve the puzzle, and presents it all in an uncomfortable, grey sheen. The dialogue rings true though, characters stumble over each others' words. Silences are achingly long as pregnant thoughts are sometimes aborted, or awkwardly presented. The stark realism that feels improvised on the spot, might be a great achievement, but it is not for everyone.

The leads are magnificent, stumbling through their vulnerabilities, and eventual hard truth reveals. Kudos. Those dedicated enough to go along for the ride will be rewarded with what amounts to closure, and more importantly, something to ponder in the days to come.

• hipCRANK.