Amnesia - The James Brighton Enigma [2005] [DVD]

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-12-20 rating:
Challenging film which leaves you uncertain
This film is like a documentary - unfolding as you watch without knowing where the plot or conclusion is going. Which of course is the reality of this true-life scenario. It's like a jigsaw - the pieces start to fall into place. But the key event - the key drama - is hidden and only revealed near the end. The story has a hard unhappy core. The whole drama revolves around an event which is "blanked out" by the main protagonist. We have to learn to discover what happened like everyone else around him. But you don't really know where the resolution is. Where the future lies. There is no happy scenario in sight. But perhaps this is the strength of the film - there is unfinished business - we have a long way to go.

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review by: date: 2008-12-07 rating:
An excellent study
It is a pity that the previous reviewer was not able to see this film with the subtitles. I had some problem with them too, so the first time I watched it without subtitles and, though I was able to follow the plot, I had the feeling that I had missed a lot -which indeed I had. So I tried it again and the subtitles were there and the movie, which had seemed interesting the first time, came out as an excellent study of a troubled individual, at the same time making some very keen comments about homosexuality and the seeking of identity. br /The story was inspired by true events. A young man was found naked and beaten-up in the streets of Montreal, Canada. He could not remember who he was, but after a while he remembered he was gay and a little later a name came to his mind, which he assumed was his own. (It is interesting that his sexual identity came back before his actual one.) br /In the film, the story is presented through the research of a student who decides to make her thesis about it. (She is the main French-speaking party and she provides all the poignant commentary on the social situation surrounding the hero.) br /The script is excellent, unfolding the facts of James's life in a detective-story fashion, while at the same time addressing social and psychological issues. br /Though this is a rather low budget film, the cinematography is quite good and we never get a sense that any of the choices were made because of financial limitations. br /The acting is first-rate.

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review by: tsuchan date: 2008-10-08 rating:
WTF, it's in French!!!
I bought this DVD direct from Amazon, because I noticed Amazon sellers were all american region 1 disks. But in spite of the note "Langugage: English" it's not ... it's mostly in French. The DVD itself says there are English subtitles, but there aren't any I've been able to get using three DVD players. Absolutely don't buy this unless you want a film spoken in French without any subtitles.


review by: Tom date: 2008-03-26 rating:
Fantastic film
Amnesia may not be your typical gay-themed fare and is all the better for it - offering an engrossing storyline, strong central performances and a series of gripping twists that keep you glued until the very last frame. The film centres around a man who is found in a montreal parking lot who can only remember his name and the fact that he is gay. After turning to a gay helpline for aid he starts discovering the shocking truth about his past. The film may not have the highest budget but it explores some genuinely interesting themes and is still a very entertaining watch. Top Marks!

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