Dead Again

Dead Again
[DVD Dead]

This is one of the most impressive mystery/thriller movies I've seen in the past 20 years. It's also one of my personal favorites from among Kenneth Branagh's lengthy list of credits. Branagh and Emma Thompson (who were a couple at the time of the movie's release) play dual roles. He is Mike Church, an L.A. private eye specializing in missing persons. Thompson is Grace, an amnesia victim whom Church is helping to rebuild her memory of her own personal history. However, they also play ill-fated lovers Roman Strauss (a composer) and Margaret Strauss (a pianist). Strauss was blamed for the brutal murder of his wife in 1948. When Mike's efforts to dig into Grace's history trigger memories of past-life experiences, both the P.I. and the amnesiac find their lives in danger from elements still at play in the 1948 murder. Every performance in this film is terrific, from the leads to the supporting cast, including Andy Garcia, Derek Jacobi, Hanna Schygulla and many more. Branagh's directing is suspenseful, and the flips in time periods are handled with excellence. This is a beautiful, tense, and engaging film. Mystery fans (and romance fans) will not be disappointed. And remember... "I'm Not Roman!!" [If you enjoy this, you may wish to try Somewhere in Time, starring Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour, Henry V, starring Kenneth Branagh and Stranger Than Fiction, starring Emma Thompson] -- recommended by Scott C. - Bennett Martin Public Library

[ Internet Movie Database entry for this film ]

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