Amnesia

Good story, nice twist & turns, entertaining & great cast

A psychological thriller which is worth watching if you don't think too hard about the character with amnesia.

There is a double storyline which intertwines and keeps the viewing guessing about what is going on with the two male leads.

The ending is just too ludicrous. Was he an undisclosed channel swimmer?

Spoiler: What was the point of the amnesiac drawing attention to himself by walking into A&E and claiming he knew nothing about himself or his history. Why did he let himself be examined in a way that would show that he had no brain trauma?

With sufficient IT skills to be able to hack into just about anything, including banks, then why choose an altogether more risky way to commit fraud and embezzlement.

John Hannah shines in anything he does. Amnesia had us on the edge for 3 episodes, since it showed over a 3-week period here on TVO! Patrick Malahide was also superb as his boss. What these guys can do with their facial expressions! (applies to rest of cast also).

General comment: British suspense-mysteries are compelling because the characters are so complicated. In fact, the cops are sometimes more messed-up than the guys they're trying to catch. The plot or the 'whodunit answer' is often secondary. If you try watching typical American CSI-type shows afterwards, they almost seem laughable.

What gives Amnesia such a punch is that it does have an intriguing plot and outcome also. The movie ends, but the story doesn't. Hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Added note: a few are questioning the conclusion or ultimate solution to the mystery. The Brits don't worry about whether the parameters of their plots are rational-they just want to surprise you! Stop worrying!

If you get a chance to see this 2-part TV show, then you certainly should.

Synopsis: (NO SPOILERS)

The story concerns police detective Mackenzie Stone whose wife disappeared a few years ago - and he who still recovering from the incident - experiencing weird dreams and the like. At the same time we are introduced to another man - John Dean, who is suffering from total amnesia, meaning that he remembers nothing of his past life before he turned up in hospital 5 years ago.

Mackenzie Stone, played by John Hannah becomes convinced that he knows who John Dean really is, that he is a man who dissapeared a few months before John Dean appeared - and that he murdered his family before hand to claim the insurance money. However, it starts to become apparant that DS Stone may well have killed his own wife...

In all this is a very good 2-parter with a very nice pay-off at the end. All the cast put on good performances, and it is all very believable.

This seems a lot older than it really is but the acting was great from the usual suspects.

The plot leaves a lot to be desired and the flashbacks John Hannah keeps having get old very quickly.

It was a nice twist with his detective partner although I began to suspect it early on. But the full role he played kept me guessing. We are thrown a lot of red herrings which are never resolved though.

Several reviewers have wondered why John Dean had walked into A&E claiming amnesia but he was in an accident that required major face reconstruction. Cheaper than plastic surgery and left me wondering if it had been intentional.

I think it was an enjoyable watch in spite of the flaws. And there were major flaws.