Movie Review
Director Christopher Charrier tries his hand at both and is commendable. His work benefits from seeing a twisted story about a boy reminiscing about his terrible childhood and the truth about his own state of mind. But he doesn't know when to stop where he's fatally limping. The Lost Patient has so many twists and unanswered questions that I'm sure even the producers don't know.
Thomas Grimaud wakes up in a hospital after his entire family has been murdered except for his missing sister Laura. His therapist, Anna, works with him to remind him of what happened and what went on during the night. Thomas clearly remembers seeing a "monster" or "man in black" killing his family.
As the memories become more intense and intrusive, Thomas has difficulty distinguishing between reality and imagination. As he learns more, he begins to suspect that Anna and the doctors are involved in an elaborate conspiracy to keep him away from Laura.
Reality And Imagined
Both reality and imagined reality move in sync with The Lost Patient. Props to Charrier for making the transition between past and present seamless and meaningful. Each time such an attempt is made, the last item basically disappears. Often, the creative focus is on making those transitional moments beautiful and memorable. Here, Charrier does it so subtly that you only notice the details when you discover the central conceit at the end. Without these memories, Thomas's illusion and original motivation could not be determined.
Now here the proverbial "but" is replaced by positive comments. Despite their critical nature, the returns are extensive. The information disseminated is very broad and ambiguous. They are not crisply designed to inform us more about what is actually going on.
On the other hand, what it does do is make the plot very difficult to follow. Almost obtusely, Charrier prevents us from entering easily. In fact, there are certain moments in the middle where you really can't make head or tail of the story.
Even though we get to a definitive ending, there are too many loose ends for one to like. Many questions remain unanswered and the red herrings only point to Charrier as an inefficient operator. The early stage of The Lost Patient is reminiscent of the South Korean film Don't Forget (2022) and films like Lucy and Memento.
Comparison
The comparison between Charrier and the film is unfair given the profile and scale. However, some pointers can definitely be taken from these compelling works for future projects. The unreliable narrator is a clever tool, but it shouldn't be used experimentally or recklessly.
The application should be precise with a clear plan of what you intend to do next. The film fails to take full advantage of this, and that's part of the reason it doesn't have the desired effect. The actors playing Thomas and Laura (Thomin Verghez and Rebecca Williams, respectively) put on a decent show.
Chemistry
They have good chemistry that reaches a level of intimacy without compromising the sanctity of their sibling bond. Both performers bring good intensity to their characters and it's worth your time to watch the story unfold.
There is a typical French touch to Laura's narrative and characterization. For some reason, it seems to me that all mainstream French films have a subconscious way of sexualizing their female leads by making them vulnerable. The soft touches that characterize them are a clever way to subvert the male gaze, and the trend continues with Laura in The Lost Patient. This aspect was one of the most interesting aspects of his character, and aside from the obvious, how it played out in the story.
Final Verdict
Overall, The Lost Patient feels like a missed opportunity. There's a lot to like and admire about the story format, but that also results in its fatal downfall. A good one-off watch, but nothing particularly impressive to find here.
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