Awake (2007)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Joby Harold

Writer:

Joby Harold (written by)

Release Date:

30 November 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

Every year, one in 700 people wake up during surgery. When they planned her husband's murder, they never thought he'd be the one.

Plot:

The story focuses on a man who suffers "anesthetic awareness" and finds himself awake and aware, but paralyzed, during heart surgery. His mother must wrestle with her own demons as a drama unfolds around them, while trying to unfold the story hidden behind her son's young wife.

Plot Keywords:

Surgery | Heart Surgery | Medication | Nonlinear Timeline | Hospital

Awards:

1 win & 3 nominations

Cast

Hayden Christensen	...	Clay Beresford
Jessica Alba	...	Sam Lockwood
Terrence Howard	...	Dr. Jack Harper
Lena Olin	...	Lilith Beresford
Christopher McDonald	...	Dr. Larry Lupin
Sam Robards	...	Clayton Beresford Sr.
Arliss Howard	...	Dr. Jonathan Neyer
Fisher Stevens	...	Dr. Puttnam
Georgina Chapman	...	Penny Carver
David Harbour	...	Dracula
Steven Hinkle	...	Young Clay (as Stephen Hinkle)
Denis O'Hare	...	Financial News Analyst
Charlie Hewson	...	Brian the Orderly
Court Young	...	Officer Doherty
Joseph Costa	...	Dr. Elbogen

MPAA:

Rated R for language, an intense disturbing situation, and brief drug use.

Runtime:

84 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #43173) | Singapore:NC-16 | Ireland:15A | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Australia:MA | Malaysia:U | Finland:K-13 | Argentina:16 | Taiwan:R-12 | Germany:16 | Hong Kong:IIB | Chile:14 | Italy:VM14 | Peru:14 | Netherlands:16 | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

18 East 68th Street, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

GreeneStreet Films

Trivia:

The tagline is a gross misrepresentation of statistics. The actual estimate of awareness during anesthesia is 1:14000 for high risk patients to as low as 1:42000.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Multiple breaches in sterile procedure, including at the end when the doctors "clean up" over Hayden's surgical area.

Quotes:

Clay Beresford: So it's tough love today, huh?
Dr. Jack Harper: You think this is a joke?

Soundtrack:

Berceuse from Jeux D'Enfants

Caught a preview screening of this tonight and I'm awfully excited about it

I'm not going to put any spoilers in this review, but this is certainly a movie with some great twists and turns. I haven't been this excited about an upcoming release since The Sixth Sense or Memento. Hard to believe this is the director's first feature (although it's possible he cut his teeth in the commercial or music video world... I'm not sure) I mean, certainly the film has a few problems, some of the moments didn't ring exactly true to me and the music was a touch maudlin at times. But when this film gets it right, it gets it really right. I was on the edge of my seat from the second act on. It's the first film I've seen in awhile that manages to balance a genuine emotionality with a strong thriller aspect. Even Hayden Christensen, who I think we all had our doubts about after Episodes I-III, puts in a memorable and affecting performance. Definitely a film to see and a director I'll be keeping my eye on.