Before I Go to Sleep is a 2014 British-American mystery thriller film written and directed by Rowan Joffé. A film adaptation of S. J. Watson's 2011 novel of the same name, the film stars Nicole Kidman, Mark Strong, Colin Firth, and Anne-Marie Duff.
Plot
Forty-year-old Christine Lucas wakes up in bed with a man she does not know, in an unfamiliar house. The man explains that he is her husband, Ben, and that she suffered brain damage from a car accident ten years earlier. Christine wakes up every morning with no memory of her life from her early twenties onwards.
Christine receives treatment from Dr. Nasch, a neurologist at a local hospital who gives her a camera to record her thoughts and progress each day, and calls her every morning to remind her to watch the video in the camera. Dr. Nasch instructs Christine to keep the camera hidden from Ben and reveals that her memory loss occurred after she was attacked and left for dead near an airport hotel. They surmise that Ben tells Christine it was a car accident to avoid upsetting her.
Over the course of treatment, Christine faintly remembers a red-haired woman named Claire. Ben tells her that Claire was a friend who couldn't handle Christine's condition and ended contact with her. Later, Christine recalls that she had a son. She angrily confronts Ben over hiding their child, but he says their son died of meningitis when he was eight. Christine remembers the name Mike and believes it may be the name of her attacker.
Christine learns that, several years after her attack, Ben had placed her in an assisted care facility and divorced her, then had a change of heart and brought her home to live with him. Christine learns that Claire had been trying to contact her at the care facility, unaware that Ben took her away. Christine obtains Claire's phone number and meets her. Claire reveals that Christine had embarked on an affair prior to her attack, while Ben and Claire had a one-time sexual encounter, due to their shared grief at Christine's memory loss. Feeling obliged to keep Ben and Christine's marriage intact, Claire ended contact.
Out of gratitude for his love and care, Christine decides to let Ben see the videos she has made on the digital camera. However, Ben angrily accuses Christine of having an affair with Dr. Nasch, strikes her, and storms out. On the telephone, Claire tells Christine that Ben claims to not have seen Christine for several years. Claire asks Christine to describe the "Ben" she is living with, and they realize he is not Ben. Christine attempts to escape the house, but "Ben" renders her unconscious.
The next morning, Christine again awakens with no memories. That night, "Ben" takes her to a hotel close to where she had been found. He reveals that he is Mike, the man she had an affair with. Mike had wanted Christine to reveal their affair to Ben, but Christine refused, and their argument culminated in Mike attacking Christine, resulting in her amnesia. He also inadvertently reveals that Christine's son Adam is still alive. Declaring his love for Christine, Mike deletes the videos on her camera and states that he is no longer interested in playing the part of Ben. He demands that Christine leave with him. Another struggle ensues, but this time Christine knocks Mike out and gets away.
Christine wakes up in a hospital bed and is visited by Dr. Nasch. He assures her the man responsible for her condition has been arrested. Christine is then visited by the real Ben, as well as their son Adam, now remembering them.
Cast
- Nicole Kidman as Christine Lucas
- Colin Firth as Ben Lucas/ Mike
- Mark Strong as Dr. Nasch
- Anne-Marie Duff as Claire
- Dean-Charles Chapman as Adam
- Adam Levy as husband/ the real Ben Lucas
- Deborah Rosan as Dancer
- Jing Lusi as Nurse Kate
- Rosie MacPherson as Emily
- Charlie Gardner
Production
On 1 May 2011, Ridley Scott bought the film rights of the novel Before I Go to Sleep written by S. J. Watson and hired Rowan Joffé to direct and write the script. In February 2012 Nicole Kidman was in talks to join the film; later in May she joined to star as Christine. On 31 October 2012 Mark Strong also joined the cast of the film. According to The Hollywood Reporter on 16 November 2012, Kidman said she wanted Colin Firth to work with her again. They had already worked together in a drama The Railway Man. On 6 February 2013, it was confirmed that Firth has joined the cast to lead with Kidman.
Filming
The film was shot in London and at Twickenham Studios.
Release
The film was released in the United Kingdom on 5 September 2014 and released in the United States on 31 October 2014.
Marketing
On 3 July 2014, the first UK trailer of the film was released by the StudioCanal UK.
Critical reception
The film was met with generally mixed reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a rating of 36%, based on 104 reviews, with an average rating of 5/10. The general consensus reads, "If it doesn't completely avoid thriller clichés, Before I Go to Sleep still offers a stylish, fast-paced, and well-acted diversion." On Metacritic, the film has a score of 41 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Kidman's performance has been positively received. Writing for Daily Star, critic Andy Lea said in a positive review that "Kidman puts in a chilling performance as the frail but determined Christine." David Edwards of Daily Mirror stated, "Leading lady Nicole Kidman hasn’t been this good in ages" finishing with "Kidman is on top form as the nervy, spiky woman walking a psychological tightrope."
See also
- 50 First Dates, a 2004 film directed by Peter Segal
- Memento, a 2000 film directed by Christopher Nolan
- Reverse chronology
References
External links
- Before I Go to Sleep at the Internet Movie Database
- Before I Go to Sleep at Box Office Mojo
- Before I Go to Sleep at Rotten Tomatoes
- Before I Go to Sleep at Metacritic