Before I Go to Sleep

The opening image of this stylish, suspenseful psychological chiller is an extreme close-up of a bloodshot eye belonging to Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman), a 40-year-old suburban London housewife who awakens every morning, terrified because she has no idea who she is or that the man beside her in bed is her husband, Ben (Colin Firth). As Ben patiently explains to her each day, Christine has suffered from anterograde amnesia for the past 14 years, which means that her mind cannot create new memories. Each morning, she forgets what happened the day before. On the bathroom wall, Ben has posted photographs with reminder Post-It notes to guide her through a daily routine. But now she's being treated by Dr. Nasch (Mark Strong), a neuropsychologist who meets her in secret, trying to help her piece together certain pieces of the puzzle that inscrutable Ben has been concealing, such as the fate of their son Adam and what exactly caused the traumatic assault that triggered her condition. Kidman exudes vulnerability and desperation, immediately eliciting empathy for her plight, while Firth remains stolidly detached, even strangely enigmatic, as her loving, yet manipulative husband. Adroitly adapted from S.J. Watson's 2011 bestseller by writer-director Rowan Joffé, this is a gripping film that pivots on how much memories make up our identity. Recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include “Character Illusions” segments (3 min.), a “Forget Me Not” production featurette (3 min.), and trailers. Exclusive to the Blu-ray release is a bonus UltraViolet copy of the film. Bottom line: a small extras package for an intriguing drama.] (S. Granger)