Amnesiac is such
an intriguing take on the psychological thriller. I loved the pace and era of
the film; it suited the story being told well. It felt like watching an unravelling of Kate's
character's mind as she watched Wes Bentley’s character piece together his. She
was so single minded in her determination to have a family, no matter the
cost. I really liked the random facts as if she was lacing the bizarreness
of the situation with a casual sense of normalcy.
The music is suspenseful
and paired with the cosmetic beeping of machines, dripping taps and the like
makes for a great soundtrack steeped in creepiness. Kate’s wardrobe was
stunning to the era and the cold muted colours were a perfect counterpart to the warm soft wood of the house. I feel
the most poignant outfit was the fur coat when Wes’ character sees her covered
in blood wielding a saw. Classy versus dangerous. Elegant versus murderous. It’s also a nice touch how the paper on the
cop’s desk is folded so as not to give away who is missing.
As always Michael’s
direction and eye for detail are superb. The lighting was gorgeous; from mostly
natural light and fire, to the overuse of bulbs in the basement. Framing scenes
through doorways made everything look smaller, more confined and draws the
viewer in, focusing you on the emotions of the moment while adding to the
eeriness of the situation. The use of side on and upside-down camera angles also
adds to the overall feel of the film.
Kate did such a
brilliant job at portraying someone so calm, poised & calculated in their
intentions. I loved how all her motions were so slow and precise and her words
an eerie mixture of sweet and chilling in their monotony. You learn just enough
as the film unfolds to its reveal to wonder if her demeanor and precision are
the result of trauma or the calculating actions of a psychopath. Do you sympathise or should you
be scared of her: all will be revealed!
Wes Bentley was
great as the confused husband piecing together misinformation with scattered
memories. Never sure what to think at any given time, not knowing what’s
happening until it’s too late, but going through a roller coaster of emotions
as the horror of his situation unravels before him.
The
illusiveness of Olivia Rose Keegan’s Audrey for the majority of the film made
for a great mystery to the story: was she dead and Kate’s character was traumatised
by her loss, was she kidnapped or did she even exist at all.
And it's always
nice to see Patrick Bauchau; he just seems so genuine.
Whether you
enjoy the psychological thriller or not you will be intrigued by the story,
drawn to the cinematography and wondering until the very end what the real
story is.
