Mémoire

What is a film? To me it's an experience that you view through your own experiences. Life's not easy. Not perfect. Many times it's hard. Things happen to you that you didn't deserve and it leaves scars in your heart and emotions.

This film is about that very thing. Damaged people. Like all of us in our own way. Damaged trying to get thru this world with less pain. This is why I love this movie. It's just a subtle, raw view into pain and trauma and the little glimpses of hope. Of peace. Of love. It's hard for a lot of people out there.

So if you want to see an artistic film about this subject with no score, no gimmicks and some of the most vulnerable acting I've seen. This is for you.

One trigger warning: if you've dealt with sexual assault on any level this may be hard to watch.

Whilst the subject matter here is quite interesting, the execution isn't especially. "Sylvia" (Jessica Chastain) is working in the social care system whilst bringing up her daughter "Anna" (Brooke Taylor). Her life, as effectively illustrated by her door locking and burglar alarm routine each day, is a structured affair with little variation. She has a strong relationship with her sister but is completely estranged from her mother. The two women attend a school reunion one night and, leaving early, she is followed home. It's a miserable night and next morning she discovers him asleep outside her door. Inspecting his wallet, she discovers his identity and calls his brother "Isaac" (Josh Charles) who explains that "Saul" (Peter Sarsgaard) has memory issues. Was he stalking her or is there more to this rather meandering scenario? Chastain does work quite well, but I found the story seemed to randomly inject way too many "incidents" along the way that seemed designed to enliven or empower the plot. Many seemed a little too disaster-scenario prone and are used to enhance purely for dramatic purposes. The culminating scenes lacked plausibility and at times the whole thing came across as little better than an A-list soap opera. Coincidence underpins just a bit too much of the film and the delivery of information about the characters to the audience is all delivered in just too sporadically a fashion. I felt sorry for just about everyone involved, but I didn't feel particularly engaged.

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.

I really liked this one. I'm sure other's will have their ideas of what it's about but it's really about love and broken people. And really isn't everyone broken to some degree?

I found the movie tackled the subject matter and characters in a very intimate way, it's almost a meditation on how people deal with trauma and prevail and how even broken people can love.

One character can't remember the other can't stop remembering. I'm sure there is something there, I'll have to think on that more- but they find each other and it turns out they have a lot to offer each other.

Marvelous film in my opinion.

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.