Before I Go to Sleep

Clarius Entertainment | Release Date: October 31, 2014

5.4	USER SCORE Mixed or average reviews based on 95 Ratings

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manofthemoonJan 17, 2015

The film wants to be a modern Hitchcock with a Nolan twist and, in some ways, it succeeds. "Before I Go to Sleep" never hits the heights of memory loss films such as "Memento", but it remains highly watchable and well made, with strongThe film wants to be a modern Hitchcock with a Nolan twist and, in some ways, it succeeds. "Before I Go to Sleep" never hits the heights of memory loss films such as "Memento", but it remains highly watchable and well made, with strong performances from the three leads. Does it all hang together? Probably not, but an enjoyable watch anyway.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

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ledaumasNov 7, 2014

Excellent acting by Nicole Kidman who holds the picture well and I believe she's in every scene. If not, she dominates every scene then. I know a lot of people aren't watching this film, this movie is for people who like Nicole's charactersExcellent acting by Nicole Kidman who holds the picture well and I believe she's in every scene. If not, she dominates every scene then. I know a lot of people aren't watching this film, this movie is for people who like Nicole's characters and she's done it again. She also has a body to die for (if that was her naked body in the movie). Naked, she looks 20 years old.… Expand

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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zettacriticJan 30, 2015

Despite the negative ratings, I watched this movie because I like Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. The film started out really holding my attention and was fascinating and suspenseful. The plot turns kept me guessing and I found it scary andDespite the negative ratings, I watched this movie because I like Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. The film started out really holding my attention and was fascinating and suspenseful. The plot turns kept me guessing and I found it scary and creepy as it progressed. In the end, the plot had a few holes and it didn't come together in a super fulfilling way, but it was worth watching.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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jigsmode31Oct 22, 2015

This was a suspenseful movie and the cast were mesmerizing in their roles.

Watch it online for free: https://www.primewire.ag/watch-2754057-Before-I-Go-to-Sleep-online-free

0 of 2 users found this helpful02

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SpangleApr 10, 2017

Upon its release, Rowan Joffe's Before I Go to Sleep often received comparisons to Memento as that film was also a thriller that focused on an amnesiac trying to remember how he wound up the way he is and figure out who he can trust. However,Upon its release, Rowan Joffe's Before I Go to Sleep often received comparisons to Memento as that film was also a thriller that focused on an amnesiac trying to remember how he wound up the way he is and figure out who he can trust. However, I not like Memento, so I went into Before I Go to Sleep without comparing it to a film that I enjoy. As a result, I did quite like Before I Go to Sleep. It is undeniably cliched and introduces memories or random actions by Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman) out of plot convenience that entirely contradict the fact that she cannot remember. The film also nosedives into melodrama at the very end with a tearjerking final sequence that may make you cry, but feels manipulative. That said, the film is just so tense. It is mysterious, thrilling, and laced with suspense as we live alongside Christine as she tries to figure out who attacked her and deals with emotions evoked by memories, all while trying to figure out who to trust.

Following a brutal attack, Christine Lucas remembers nothing. She believes she is in her 20s and wakes up everyday being informed about who she is, where she is, and what she does by her husband Ben (Colin Firth). After Ben leaves for work, Dr. Nasch (Mark Strong) calls her and reminds her to check for a camera in her wardrobe closet where she records a visual diary daily. He then proceeds to meet her during the day behind Ben's back, who does not want her to remember for fear of her getting upset. The film's tensions continue to rise as we are given cause to not trust both Ben and Dr. Nasch at various points before we come back and believe them again, only to then proceed to continue questioning if they are what they say they are. This is the source of Before I Go to Sleep's greatest amount of tension as this mystery and suspense that unfolds rivals something akin to a Hitchcock film with how it keeps you in the dark. With Christine's illness, we constantly must try and add two-and-two together with the limited details that she can add throughout the day. What compounds the mystery is the fact that both Firth and Strong are British and as Hollywood has taught me, never trust a Brit because they are all shifty. Yet, the film forces us to pick who to trust and it makes it all the more compelling as common sense says neither are wholly trustworthy.

Plot-wise, as mentioned, the film is pretty run-of-the-mill. This may be writer-director Rowan Joffe's fault as the film entirely relies upon the disease of its protagonist and then willingly breaks the rules it sets when convenient, particularly with regard to the reveal of who her attacker was. After initially stating that going to the site of the attack does not work, the film then goes and has the site of the attack bring back memories of it for Christine. That said, when the film threatens to just boil down into a pretty typical who can you trust thriller, it throws in a compelling twist that really breathes life into the film seamlessly. This final twist is really what saves Before I Go to Sleep from being a pretty tame thriller, as well as excellent lead performances from Nicole Kidman, Colin Firth, and Mark Strong. Each actor turns in a shifty performance that really makes you begin to wonder their true intentions, only to then turn around and seem entirely trustworthy. Yet, we know somebody cannot be trusted. Is it Christine? Is her broken mind playing tricks on her even now? Is it Ben? Is he really just protecting her or is he hiding more? Is it Dr. Nasch? Is he really a doctor? Why does he now want Ben to find out about the treatment? For all of its cliches and narrative shortcomings, Before I Go to Sleep winds up still being a truly entertaining film that shows that a fun, twisty, and slick thriller that has echoes of Hitchcock (who would have directed the hell out of this) can still turn into a pretty good piece of cinema. While not exactly an artistic accomplishment and one that could have used a more capable of director, this one entertains and constantly keeps you an edge with a chilling premise, excellent acting, and eerie score.… Expand

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BroyaxMar 23, 2018

Bonne nouvelle, Nicole a arrêté le botox ! elle semble assumer son âge désormais ou au moins se limiter au bistouri du boucher diplômé comme toutes les stars qui commencent à bouteiller (à avoir de la bouteille si vous me pardonnez cetBonne nouvelle, Nicole a arrêté le botox ! elle semble assumer son âge désormais ou au moins se limiter au bistouri du boucher diplômé comme toutes les stars qui commencent à bouteiller (à avoir de la bouteille si vous me pardonnez cet affreux barbarisme). Et encore, je suis mauvaise langue.

Du coup, ses beaux sourcils ont retrouvé leur mobilité et je l'ai trouvée quelque peu amaigrie... attention Nicole, il ne faudrait pas finir anorexique non plus ! qu'elle est belle notre Nicole en tout cas et talentueuse avec ça : un beau rôle d'amnésique taillé sur mesure qui appelle beaucoup de questions et conjectures de la part du spectateur...

Le film est presque un thriller mâtiné de polar dont les aiguillages changent régulièrement pendant un certain temps : le mari n'a pas l'air très net... mais le bon docteur non plus !... A contrario des films sur l'oubli abusant des flashbacks de plus en plus confus, "Avant d'aller dormir" sait garder le cap et l'écheveau se démèle progressivement jusqu'à la révélation finaaale... bien trouvée et tout-à-fait crédible et inattendue.

La réalisation est élégante et les deux acteurs épaulant Nicole sont très convaincants (Colin Firth et Mark Strong, très fort pour sa part). Evidemment, le cas d'amnésie de Madame est à la base tiré par les cheveux (j'oublie tout chaque matin... uniquement !) mais sert de prétexte à un scénario très malin.

On note une tendance à guimauver (à faire de la guimauve) un peu trop mais rien d'inquiétant... et puis bien sûr, quel beau numéro de Nicole : superbe actrice en vérité dans un film solide et bien fichu.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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DawdlingPoetNov 26, 2021

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is a very tense and haunting film which I'd say has elements of drama, thriller and mystery to it. The main theme is trust - trust and personal identity. It features quite a strong use of stringed instruments in the majority of scenes to add to the sense of rush, panic and tension presumably felt by the characters involved in said scenes.

Nicole Kidman does well portraying Christine as a confused, disorientated yet also strong willed and determined woman. I could feel her frustration and confusion as she tried to regain memory of key times and events in her and her families past. Colin Firth plays her other half, Ben, who is quite stoic, someone rather matter-of-fact like, who 'tells it like it is'. Other cast members include Mark Strong as Doctor Nasch, who has apparently been treating Christine for her insomnia, Anne-Marie Duff as Claire and Dean-Charles Chapman as Adam. I thought that both Kidman and Firth gave decent performances in this film, which helped it seem more believable as they played their roles convincingly.

There is a fair amount of whispers present in the film, so its possible that some people, perhaps those who may be hard of hearing, may struggle to fully follow dialogue in parts, although I managed to follow the majority of it. It may be worth turning the volume up on your TV if you think this would be an issue - there are relatively few scenes where there is constant loud pitched noise, so that shouldn't cause too much of an issue I'd have thought.

I was impressed with the way the soundtrack really emphasised the clear tension and general mystery surrounding most of the scenes and the plot in general. There are some scenes in which we see Christine looking through a peep hole and a long corridor is presented in fisheye lens format (curved at the sides). The camera zooms in on her eye, with spookily red veins present and then on what she sees, sometimes tinged in a spooky orange colour tint. It reminded me, very briefly, of more gory films such as perhaps The Shining, although no extremely graphic gore is present in this film (some vioence but not so much gore).

Speaking of content, this film contains some strong language, some sex references and partial nudity and some bloody violence, mostly in flashbacks. It is relatively spooky and potentially frightening, certainly to young viewers, hence the 15 rating it carries. I wouldn't have thought it would be likely to particularly upset people, as it handles the topics the plot contains quite sensitively overall I thought.

As the film continues, the plot slowly unwinds, although it seems, certainly early on, as if its almost impossible for real truths to be discovered. The critic in mean felt as if it was slightly unlikely for Christine to somehow, as if by magic, be able to piece things together, as she does but having said that, its not as if everything goes smoothly or all is entirely clear and I certainly felt like I was entertained while watching the film. It is a relatively immersive film and at just under an hour and a half long, its a good film to watch if you have a relatively short time to watch a film. For what it is, its pretty decent.

Yes I'd recommend this film, as I felt it featured good performances, a curious and intriguing plot, it was relatively immersive and spooky and thus a decent drama/thriller/mystery.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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