Film 4 is set to broadcast a gripping thriller tonight, featuring what many fans are calling one of Liam Neeson's best ever performances. The film, titled Memory, offers a stark departure from his iconic Taken role, presenting a darker, more nuanced character study.
A Compelling Plot and Stellar Cast
The movie, airing at 9pm on Saturday 6 December, boasts an impressive ensemble. Alongside Neeson, it stars Guy Pearce and Monica Bellucci. Memory is adapted from the 2003 Belgian novel De Zaak Alzheimer by Jef Geeraerts and its subsequent film adaptation, The Memory of a Killer.
The story centres on contract killer Alex Lewis (Neeson), who is grappling with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Tasked with a final assignment, he refuses to carry out the hit on a teenage girl. This moral stand sets him on a collision course with his employers. He then joins forces with FBI agent Vincent Serra (Guy Pearce) to expose a powerful human trafficking ring. The narrative weaves together two parallel investigations with Alex's own desperate race against his deteriorating memory.
Audience and Critical Reception
The film has garnered significant praise from a segment of viewers, achieving an 80% score on the Popcornometer via Rotten Tomatoes. On the review aggregator site, one fan declared it "one of Liam Neeson's best acting credits", praising his "outstanding performance" and noting it was a good movie for his Taken fans.
Another review highlighted the film's serious subject matter, stating it "never loses focus on the message while keeping the viewer engaged throughout." A third commended the shift from Neeson's typical indestructible persona, calling it a "solid movie" with nice acting and a good ending.
Mixed Opinions from Viewers
However, reception was not universally positive. Some viewers offered more mixed critiques. One described the plot as "fragmented from the start" and centred on a familiar trope of adversaries uniting against a common enemy.
Another suggested that while Neeson and Pearce delivered good performances, the film was otherwise "fairly average." A more critical viewer advised that unless one is a devoted Neeson fan, it might be best to give it a miss, citing a "wafer thin and predictable" plot.
Despite these divergent views, the film's premise and Neeson's powerful portrayal of a man battling his own fading mind have cemented Memory as a notable entry in his filmography. For those seeking a tense, character-driven thriller tonight, Film 4 at 9pm is the place to be.
