Movie Review – Reminiscence

This movie had the potential to be great, yet it was just okay.

Don’t take me wrong, I enjoyed it. Especially the great performances by Hugh Jackman, Thandiwe Newton, and Rebecca Ferguson. Bonus points for Asian actor Daniel Wu, who was the Prince Charming in every girl’s dream back in the 2000s in China. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. The director definitely knows how to set the mood for a movie.

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The story itself is simple enough, but when I think about the movie afterward, my focus goes to the things in the periphery of the main storyline. There are messages left there, yet I couldn’t get a clear one out. Of course, it could all be me overthinking it, but I still think it had the potential to dig deeper and be great, but turned out to be just okay.

Here are a few things I think had the potential but fell short.

First, it’s cool that the movie is self-referential. But then again, it’s not a new trick. It could have been weaved into the story in a smarter way so it doesn’t feel as heavy-handed. (Don’t ask me how. I’m neither a writer nor a director. Christopher Nolan might have a thing or two to say.)

The story takes place in a future that doesn’t seem too far-fetched or faraway, especially with recent disastrous weather events. But the story is told in a way that’s more about it than anything else. There’s not much of a “big picture” to it. What do I mean by that? There are ways to tell a story; I believe the good ones are either a story that serves a grander goal, or everything serves a grander story. But in this case, everything serves a mediocre story.

If I didn’t have to write a review that makes me really think about it, I wouldn’t even notice the potential it could have had. I would have left the theater not feeling much at all. But then again, it was nice to see Hugh Jackman on the big screen again after a long while.

Grade: B-

About The Peetimes: I would recommend using the third Peetime, but the other two are okay.

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dd33803, 07/05/2023

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This app provides info about movies, reviews, ratings from people who have seen it before and after viewing. It has links to info about the movies. It let’s you know when there will be a lull in the action and how long it will last. If you want to know what happens during that time, you can check the brief synopsis (you have to click a link, so no accidental spoilers). It has a timer you can set (silent) to alert you to a break. It also tells you whether there is anything extra during or after the credits. It’s really a wonderful app. I’ve subscribed for a couple of years to support the developers, but I noticed some of the links to provide feedback didn’t seem to work today. They also made it free, with voluntary donations to see the pee-times. If you haven’t tried it, I encourage you to do so, and subscribe if you like it. I really hope the app is supported so it can continue to be maintained!

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There are no extra scenes during, or after, the end credits of Reminiscence. (What we mean by Anything Extra.)