Awake

It’s the lesson, the mystery, and perhaps the thrill of this 2007 movie that keeps its audience in their seats. ‘Awake’ written and directed by Joby Harold was a successful attempt at delivering agony, love, betrayal, and fear all at once. Casting ‘hottie’ Jessica Alba and ‘eye-candy’ Hayden Christensen wasn’t such a bad idea either.

‘Anesthetic Awareness’ is a real condition that 1 in 700 patients during surgery experience;  this film’s explanation and the preface of what the film  was based on; made for a very solid back-story and level of believability to set the tone throughout the film. I enjoyed how Harold depicted the transition between life and death by the use of lights. I also enjoyed the range of heightened emotion and deception portrayed by esteemed actor, Terrence Howard, who played ‘Dr. Jack Harper’. Lena Olin who you may remember from ‘Chocolat’, plays the role of the strong mother ‘Lilith Beresford’ and  she shines and engages the audience like a ‘bull in a china-shop’.

For anyone who has been in a surgery or under anesthesia, this film would gain some appeal. Being paralyzed by fear is one thing; being unable to fight for your life is another. J