Der Patient

As this French drama opens a family is found massacred in their home. Three years later nineteen year old survivor Thomas awakes from a coma. The psychologist caring for him tells him that he is the sole survivor and that his sister hasn't been seen since those events. She encourages him to try to remember just what happened while he is also undergoing physiotherapy. Gradually he, and we, learn just what happened that day.

I thought this was a decent drama. It is fairly slow burn and doesn't provide as many surprises as I suspects its makers think. I'm sure most viewers will have suspected how it will end long before the 'big reveal'. That said it managed to keep me interested throughout. The cast is solid, especially Txomin Vergez, who plays Thomas. There is a good atmosphere with limited settings giving it an almost theatrical feel at times. Overall a solid enough film; not a must see but worth a watch if you are a fan of French films.

These comments are based on watching the film in French with English subtitles.

Le Patient is a psychological horror and drama film. The premise is about a 19-year-old boy, Thomas, who wakes up from a 3-year coma to discover that his entire family has been murdered and his sister is missing.

To make matters worse, the killer is still on the loose. In a desperate search for facts, psychologist Anna Keifer decides to help Thomas with therapy sessions to unlock his hidden memories.

Is a terrible truth buried among its most intrinsic blocks? This factor keeps us hooked to Le Patient.

However, the film, based on a comic book, is predictable. Though clever, the plot twist isn't all that surprising. That doesn't detract from the fact that the plot is well constructed; but it works better as comics or narrative than as audiovisual content.

This is an immersive film. You relate with Thomas as he tries to put the pieces together when he wakes up from coma. It's a slow burn but you don't mind because the story brings you somewhere and you want to be there when it ends even if it feels the story is going around in circles. And the ethereal musical score adds to the befuddlement.

This is a story that tackles how the brain creates or distorts reality specially when one undergoes trauma. In the case of Thomas, he has to figure out which events are real and which are augmented or constructed.

Txomin Vergez is credible as Thomas as he succeeds in portraying his situation. Rebecca Williams is equally convincing as Laura.

This is a thought-provoking film. It might be good for your mental health.

No pun intended - also is not the past that forms us? That has made us the person we are today? Of course if something terrible and quite life altering has happened ... shouldn't we try to deal with it? And this is exactly what is going on here. I would not say that the movie has a twist for me towards the end, though you may feel different. I just know that the movie is well told and well acted.

If you had a trauma and your mind does not want to remember - well what to do? The thriller part of this is nice I reckon, but you can tell it was made for tv I reckon ... seen worse though - but this could have been tighter pacing wise. Still a nice movie overall (no pun intended here either)

Like so many other movies, it sounds promising. There are moments when you feel it might actually be... good. Alas. It's not terrible. Just boring. I struggled to keep my eyes open more than with most "thrillers."

The acting is fair to middling. The plot twist was predictable. Perhaps I watch too many films but I guessed this twist long before I probably should have.

Do yourself a favor and watch "High Tension" instead. That one is simply brilliant and packs a serious punch. I bring this up because "Le patient" clearly was influenced or inspired by "High Tension." Sadly, it couldn't even come close.