(Somehow, I don’t think Frankie had this kind of movie in mind as a namesake for his song…)
CAST: Ray Liotta, Linda Fiorentino, Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald, Kim Cattrall, Stellina Rusich, David Paymer, Kim Coates, Caroline Elliott, Colleen Renison.
DIRECTOR: John Dahl
WARNING: Some SPOILERS and seriously fucked-up trips down memory lane - straight ahead…
Whenever I hear the song “Unforgettable” by Frank Sinatra, I am invariably reminded of three things: (1) Revlon’s ad campaign in the late 80’s and early 90’s that featured some of the hottest models in the world, as well as the iconic slogan: “The Most Unforgettable Women In The World Wear Revlon”; (2) a glamorous black-tie ball in a Rome hotel ballroom that I happened to catch a brief glimpse of, where handsome men in tuxes and ravishing women in evening gowns danced slowly and elegantly to the song; and (3) a guy I used to work with many, many, many years ago who tried unsuccessfully to get me to hang out with him after work by singing the fucking song to me every chance he got. I think my response to him was something along the lines of “I appreciate the serenade, but if I were you, I would find a way to forget about me - fast. If you want, I can help with that. Smashing a stapler into someone‘s head usually erases memory. May I demonstrate on you?”
Anyhow, my Frank Sinatra/BFF-wannabe was actually a mild pest in comparison to the problem plaguing the hero of our latest review, UNFORGETTABLE. He is Seattle medical examiner Dr. David Krane, and he’s not having a great year. For starters, the following has happened to him: (1) his wife Mary (Stellina Rusich) was brutally murdered not too long ago; (2) he was suspected then ultimately cleared of the crime; (3) the murderer was never found, so everyone still suspects him - including his co-workers on the police force; and (4) his kids have been taken away from him by his wife’s bitchy sister Kelly (Kim Cattrall) because, as far as Kelly’s concerned, David killed Mary.
See what I mean? This isn’t exactly the most fun period in David’s life. Unless you think being treated like a cracker version of O.J. Simpson is fun. For his part, David has clocked in a lot of time trying to find out who killed Mary - and consequently try to clear his name. Fortunately, there is a grand design over everything. Or as Buddha says: “There are no coincidences…” Or was that Kanye West?
Whatever. The point is this: two things happen that, for David, are basically the equivalent of a Lifeline while playing “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.” First, while doing his normal M.E. activities at a crime scene involving a convenience store hold-up gone very bad, David notices something on the floor: a book of matches folded in a particular way. What’s so special about this? Oh, not much… just the fact that a similar folded-up book of matches was found at Mary’s murder scene.
So… by the Logic of Scooby-Doo and Encyclopedia Brown, David deduces that whoever killed the convenience store clerk and the art student customer must have been… the same guy who killed Mary. Still with me? Good, because it’s going to get more crazy.
The second thing that is like a ray of light for David is when he attends some boring-ass fundraiser involving university medical research. Fortunately for him, Buddha’s “everything-means-something” credo must be at work again, because at the event he meets Dr. Martha Briggs (Linda Fiorentino). Martha, despite looking like Linda Fiorentino, is one of those socially-awkward academic types who only really come alive when they’re talking about whatever stultifyingly dull project they're working on - or when they’re fighting tooth-and-nail for the grant that enables said projects.
Anyhow, Martha’s research just happens to be about… memory research. Specifically, she has developed a way to extract neurotransmitters from brain cells. When these neurotransmitters are combined with some serum/extract/whatever she’s invented, then injected into a subject, that subject experiences the memories of whomever the neurotransmitters came from. In other words - memory transfer. Okay, look… I didn’t write the fucking script, okay. If it were up to me, UNFORGETTABLE would have been a comedy where I finally decided to hang out with my Frank Sinatra/BFF-wannabe - and discovered how fun it is to beat him up whenever I want.
I don’t have to tell you that David gets into his noggin that if he uses Martha’s serum/extract/whatever and combines it with Mary’s neurotransmitters, then inject the cocktail into himself - he just might be able to see into her memory and discover who killed her. It doesn’t matter that Martha hasn’t tested her shit on humans - just on lab rats. Doesn’t bother David, though, because he evidently doesn’t give a shit. Again, please try to contain your disbelief. Save the thigh-slapping laughter for when you’re done reading the goddamned review. Suffice it to say, this movie makes THE BEDROOM WINDOW (review # 254) look like a model of plausibility.
David starts his little fucked-up experiment by stealing some of Martha’s serum/extract/whatever - then combining it with the dead art student’s neurotransmitters. This leads to an acid trip that would probably make a ‘shroom/extacy/tequila mash-up look like an after-lunch activity for Day Care. Needless to say, David gets his world rocked majorly. Which is a bad thing, according to Martha. You see, each time a subject gets a dose of Martha’s shit, it weakens their hearts. The more they, uh, shoot up with the stuff, the closer they get to croaking. In other words, we’re dealing with the medical version of Russian Roullete here, folks… The good news is David may actually find out who killed Mary. The bad news is it just might kill him. Fucking great.
So… who killed Mary? Will David solve the mystery and finally clear his name? And get his kids back? Or will Martha’s serum kill him in the process? And if it doesn’t, what about the killer himself? Will he just let David continue to get closer and closer? Is there more to Mary’s murder than David realizes? Will Martha risk her life to help David? And the most important question of all: what kind of acid trip was John Dahl on when he wrote this screenplay? Must have been a totally unforgettable one.
Seriously, man. Pass that shit around.
BUT, SERIOUSLY: In our recent review for THE BEDROOM WINDOW (review # 254), we talked about how a film with a potentially implausible series of events can be bolstered by a taut script, a talented director, and a strong cast - resulting in terrific entertainment. That film was a prime example of this fortuitous combo. Another one is UNFORGETTABLE. It may not be as elegant or classically suspenseful as THE BEDROOM WINDOW, but UNFORGETTABLE is still a very worthy thriller.
With it’s “memory transfer” premise serving as the core of a police procedural/murder mystery, UNFORGETTABLE manages to stake some unique ground and distinguish itself from others in the genre. It helps that the script is brisk, smart, and consistently interesting. It also manages to be several different thrillers at the same time: a Hitchcockian wronged-man piece; a psychological study of a man under pressure; and -most unexpectedly a surreal, Argento-esque mystery that is the closest thing to an American “giallo” as I’ve ever seen. Writer/director John Dahl does a nimble job of blending all these different flavors - and succeeds.
UNFORGETTABLE’s other major asset is its cast. Ray Liotta makes for a great, atypical hero. Liotta is a handsome man, but there is nothing cookie-cutter about it - and therefore he makes for a compelling, unexpectedly fresh lead. He has acne scars, he’s a little too aloof and intense, and he gives off a sense of not being all there - and that’s what makes him perfect for the human, quirky, and damaged character of Dr. David Krane. In a word, he’s great.
Linda Fiorentino is cast against type as the mousy and tentative Dr. Martha Briggs. We’ve gotten used to Fiorentino playing tough, assertive women, so it’s a pleasant surprise to find her playing this shy scientist who gets in way over her head while trying to help David Krane. It’s nice to see a female lead who is not a superwoman for a change, and is just a normal gal trying to survive the circumstances she’s in. The fact that Fiorentino is just as believable as the vulnerable Martha as she is playing the super-femme fatale Bridget Gregory from THE LAST SEDUCTION, attests to her talent and versatility.
The rest of the case provides solid support, with the likes of Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald, David Paymer, and Kim Cattrall all vivid in pivotal roles. Ultimately, it may not be too difficult to determine who killed Mary, but the colorful gallery of supporting characters keep you second-guessing yourself.
Bottom line: UNFORGETTABLE may not be unforgettable, but it is memorable enough to rate way above your average thriller - enough to be a good entry in the genre.
