Une femme sans passé

In the past I have really liked some of these Harlequin romance movies.

This one, from 1994, stars Justine Bateman, not one of my favorite actresses. Her character, Lisa, is brutally assaulted one night; she winds up in the hospital and has amnesia.

Everyone acts very strangely around her. Apparently she and her husband Paul (Peter Outerbridge) have not shared a bedroom for some time. His much younger sister, who lives with them, loathes her. Both she and her brother thinks she's faking. Also Paul has a room he keeps locked.

Gradually pieces of her life fall together, and it's obvious she is a different woman. Her husband had filed for divorce, but they fall in love again. But why did she grow cold toward him initially?

Up to a point, this was pretty good. We do find out about Lisa's coldness. But beyond that, I thought the big denouement at the cabin was ridiculous.

Attempts to make Bateman look attractive were in vain, however, in photos of her in the restaurant she owns, she has her hair off her face and looks quite different. She has a new outfit on in every scene.

Okay for what it was.

I was cleaning my workroom this afternoon, and the movie I had put on finished, and "Another Woman" came on. Not usually watching TV movies, I thought of changing channels, but I was busy. Imagine my surprise when I realized that, for a Harlequin movie, it was well-scripted and the cast quite good. Justine Bateman and Peter Outerbridge play the main characters without descending into syrupiness and Amy Stewart was very good as the teenager who has been hurt and strikes back without being bratty. The supporting cast manages to support well and avoid being bland. Of course, we all know they will live happily-ever-after. I mean, it is based on a Harlequin novel. Still, the script was well-written and the characters well-developed. What's that, you say? The medical information was not accurate? Not to worry. This is an escapism movie, not a medical school biology class. Grab the pop corn, a comfy pillow, and kick back for a relaxing few hours.

I enjoyed this movie. The performances weren't overblown, they were simple with the awkwardness of a family rediscovering each other. The scenes as Justine Bateman and Peter Outerbridge fall in love again were believable and touching. A nice surprise as romance novels made into movies tend to be mawkish!!

So this film was released in 1994, I am hazarding a guess that male spoken out garbage was acceptable at this time, and this is a review written by a bloke !!

So the plot to this film, is a women that is attacked leaving her with amnesia. The husband is in the process of divorcing her due to one reason or another and at the time of his first visit, he is not convinced that she is faking the loss of memory.

For me, the scene is set when the husband walks into the hospital ward with his hands in his pockets of his pleated trouser suit with a subtle swagger, (unbelievable that is wife has had the **** kicked out of her) and then questions the validity of the attack.

A script at this time I guess would have been considered entertaining but in 2023 its not. The fact that the husband is portrayed has some eligible gods gift to women throughout, the sheer fact that the wife went 3-4 rounds with various kinds of blunt instruments, I would have settled and left the ****hole.

One film that should be left in the 90's.

I was actually a bit surprised to find an interesting movie here despite obvious cliche and bad researching (The info on Lisa's medical condition is inaccurate, although in the end it doesn't matter).

I always thought that Justine Bateman had some talent and was pleased to find that she was able to use it here. While the script is not always the greatest she does a fine job with it as do her co-stars. Peter Outerbridge shows what a fine actor he is, and the young girl playing Bonnie also does a wonderful job. Her character is nicely developed as is Joe the hired gun.

If you are looking for something on a rainy afternoon this might be the ticket.