Past Tense

Former cop Gene Ralston (Scott Glenn) is haunted by confusion and is writing a hard-boiled crime novel about his new sexy neighbor (Lara Flynn Boyle). He has a sexual fling with her and a woman turns up dead there. More confusion arises. He fears evidence is piling up against him as his partner Larry Talbert (Anthony LaPaglia) investigates. Suddenly, there is a different woman living in that house and the murder never happened.

This starts as a neo-noir. It pushes very hard but that's acceptable. The problem starts with the confusing bits and pieces. It's intriguing when it first begins but soon it becomes tiresome. With all the jumbled pieces, the progression feels rather random. The pieces are all there. The fit is up in the air. At least, it's trying to do something.

Truly a good film and for noir addicts it is a must see. I see the Twin Peeks comparison and not surprising, one of the writers, wrote for that show (as well as his brother). Not for a casual view, it can quickly become confusing, as shown, almost completely, in flashback style. Nice "tip" to the Wizard of Oz and the attention to detail, is amazing.

OK, so you have to think as you watch - and after - but this film is a gem - and it hangs together even though it seems at times to be an incarnation of Twin Peaks - and THAT is NOT a bad thing! (There's even a Twin Peaks cast member aboard!) This is an excellent Psycho-Drama that will keep most theorizing right up to, through and past the end. Intelligent Film Noir, superbly cast and scripted - for those who like their Films Dark.

The movie "past tense" is rated with an "8" here. UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!! I watched the film for about 1 hour, then i turned it of, it was that bad. Very confusing with a lot of flashbacks. One moment the guy seemed to be in very good shape, the next he's in a coma in the hospital. And it started so well, i mean, the 2 main-actors hitting the sack after just 5 minutes, that's a new record for sure,guys.

Not a confusing film, but an intriguing one. Viewers learn more and more, and in the end everything is wrapped up and nothing is left without explanation.

Early on it calls to mind The Lady Vanishes (1937)...but it is different than that. Later on it calls to mind, to some degree, Jacob's Ladder (1990), but it is not that film either. There are aspects that almost seem surreal, until we gradually learn what is going on - there is a definite resolution; this is not like the stereotype of a David Lynch film.

A good suspense film that deals with memory and identity and their unravelling as a mystery.

Lara Flynn Boyle is especially attractive here: softer and not as extremely, frighteningly thin as she has been recently.