- culture
- August 19, 2021
Review: 'Reminiscence' falls way short
Even Hugh Jackman's indisputable star power can't light up the pretentious, pseudo-poetic, sci-fi murk that is "Reminiscence," a thundering misfire you can see in theaters or on HBO/Max, though I can't think of a single reason you should make the effort. It's no crime to create a movie that wishes it were "Blade Runner" or something intriguingly opaque by Christopher Nolan. Screenwriter Lisa Joy, making her directing debut with this clammy calamity, is married to the "Inception" virtuoso's brother, producer Jonathan Nolan, with whom she created the hit HBO series "Westworld." Lightning has not struck twice. Jackman plays Nick Bannister, a private eye in a dystopian future where Miami is sinking in the ocean and only the rich can afford dry land. Nick operates an immersion tank where he guides clients to relive their not always happy pasts. His partner is Watts (the reliably terrific Thandiwe Newton), an ex-military pal buddy from an unspecified border war, whose love he...