Set in contemporary Los Angeles as well as the Los Angeles of the 1940s, Dead Again explores a romance between two star-crossed lovers -- and the doomed passion they shared in their last lifetime. Los Angeles detective Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh) comes to the aid of mute, amnesia-victim Grace (Emma Thompson) and falls in love with her. He sets out to discover her true identity and the source of her terrible nightmares. Mike is aided in his investigation by hypnotist/furniture dealer Franklyn
Madison (Derek Jacobi) who discovers that in a past life Grace was Margaret Strauss (also played by Thompson), who may have been mudered by her husband Roman (Branagh). ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi
As the twists come thick and fast and the plot gets progressively more and more baroque, Branagh shows himself to be at least as intelligent as Brian De Palma in delivering over-the-top stylistic filigree.
It's a restless yet highly organized effort, displaying the director's desire to not just passively assemble a movie, but to rattle the senses as well.
A woman arrives at a Catholic orphanage without her memory and subject to night terrors. The priest knows of a local detective, a graduate, who'll work for free ... so begins this mostly forgotten gem by Branagh wherein he quite literally throws in everything AND the kitchen sink. Nothing but a film about loving film
but the old films in particular. So good I half expected Bette or Humphrey to put in a surprise cameo. Ignore the climax though, so stupid, so lame, you'll laugh out loud.
I love this noir-ish Hitchcock style thriller. Its lots of fun as well. Husband and wife team (married 1989-95) Branagh and Thompson shine as the leads. Branagh also directs. It sounds cheesy, but its not: both leads play dual roles, in 1949 and the present, swapping genders. At times both are funny, charming,
perplexed, and exasperated.
The film is well made. Kudos to Andy Garcia's make-up technician. He is as convincing a dying old man as I've seen, complete with a cigarette-smoking tracheotomy! I think I'll give up smoking. Robin Williams also has a meaty, though small role. Its a great ride; the supernatural aspects could have been hokey but instead are gripping and mysterious, especially in the climax.
Whatever happened to Wayne (Hello,Newman) Knight?
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