Review by clanciai

This is clearly a film that has been neglected and bypassed, maybe even scrapped, which is a pity, because it presents one of Stacy Keach's best performances and also a remarkable one by Genevieve Bujold. She plays a Canadian from Montreal, like she is herself, so she plays herself, and no one could have done it better. Stacy Keach plays an ex-convict who has lost his memory and who knows nothing about himself, while the one thing he knows for some strange reason is to draw pictures. He doesn't know himself their origin, he paints out of a subconscious memory of which he has no control. The first scene of the film shows how he lost his mind - he is beaten all but to death and by some miracle survives and is taken care of, but his head damages are so severe so he must have a metal plate implanted in his skull. Although throughout almost the entire film he acts as the half way zombie he is supposed to be, you must always suspect some dormant raving monster inside with unlimited sources to let hidden forces out, and you will be rewarded - it will happen. But the long traumatic ascent to that final awakening is a strenuous ordeal for all involved, and there are many people involved in it, who don't want to speak about it but ultimately have to. It's a great mystery of amnesia involving more traumas than one, as Genevieve Bujold also has lost a husband, so there are many knots tied up in this local family drama, keeping a whole town in fear of being found out, but there are no secrets that will not ultimately be found out.