Remember (2 Stars)

This is a film that I had never heard of until last week. After the death of Bruno Ganz I checked Netflix for his films, and this is one of the few films that was listed. As a famous actor he's prominently listed in the credits, but he only plays a small role in the film, appearing for less than five minutes. He's hardly recognisable with his grey beard, but his smile gives him away.

The story begins with two old Jews, both of them Ausschwitz survivors, in an American nursing home. Max Rosenbaum (Martin Landau) is wheelchair-bound, Zev Guttman (Christopher Plummer) is suffering from dementia. Zev's wife died two weeks ago, but he keeps forgetting that she's gone. Before his wife's death Zev swore to take revenge on their former camp Blockführer, Otto Wallisch, who had sent their families to their death. Max has information that Otto emigrated to America using the false name Rudy Kurlander. There are four people with this name in America, but they don't know which one is Otto Wallisch. Only Max and Zev can recognise him by sight.

Because of Zev's dementia, Max has written a detailed letter with instructions what to do. It isn't just the addresses of the four men, it's a reminder to take a gun with him to shoot the real man when he finds him. Whenever he wakes up Zev has to read the letter to remind himself what to do. He's written "Read Letter" on his arm, because he's always confused when he wakes up in a strange hotel room.

Bruno Ganz plays the first Rudy Kurlander. He has proof that he was a German soldier fighting in Africa. As for the other three, you need to watch the film.

The film is highly praised by critics, and it probably is a good film, but I find it unpleasant. I don't like films that show people with dementia. That's probably because it's my biggest fear. My intellect is my greatest asset, and it would be an absolute horror to feel my mind decaying. I would rather be dead than demented. I witnessed my friend Brian Farmer slipping into dementia, and it broke my heart. I don't like films about dementia, so I've given this film a low rating. It's not the film's fault, it's my own personal problem.

Success Rate:  - 2.6

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