In the near future the ocean has risen flooding coastal cities, wars have raged and society is downtrodden. As a respite people turn to the technology of reminiscence that allows them to relive their most special moments. Nick Bannister (Hugh Jackman) and his partner Watts (Thandiwe Newton) specialise in taking people on those journeys but Nick is dangerously obsessed with ‘the woman that got away’. The mysterious Mae (Rebecca Ferguson). 

Reminiscence comes from the mind of Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy and as such features a less than straightforward story structure. The films focus is on memories and as such it uses the recollection of events and our own perception of them as a way of both wrong footing us and filling in the twists in the tale. 

Most striking for me though was not the structure but the imagery and tone. Our lead character and the story take on the tone of a black and white film noir despite being set in a dystopian future. Jackman’s character has the nobleness of some of Humphrey Bogart’s famous characters whilst the mystery the story unravels feels worthy of a Raymond Chandler tale. 

Hugh Jackman epitomises an old fashioned film star and sells the sporadic action and the noble wounded soldier. Rebecca Ferguson is more than capable as portraying the woman who can transfix any man as well. Whilst their chemistry is palpable. All of this of course is set to the beautiful imagery I mentioned earlier. A city half under water, a piano sinking in a ray of light and a tower in the sea are just a few from a dystopian future that appears like a cross between a dream in Inception and the lights and markets of Blade Runner. 

There are faults though. It relies heavily on a narration track from Jackman that fills in many details that the film just has no time to show us and it will frustrate people who are too cynical to believe in the love and nobility that Nick believes in. Fortunately though I am a sucker for that. 

An original science fiction film featuring classic film style and some beautiful images. An enjoyable and commendable effort.