Mindscape (3 Stars)

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This film was released as "Anna" in America in 2013, but it's called "Mindscape" in England and most other countries.

A technology has been developed by which a person can insert himself into the memories of other people. This is most commonly used by so-called memory detectives, who enter people's memories to search for proof of crimes. The procedure can only be administered voluntarily, so a guilty criminal would refuse to have his memories examined.

The memory detective John Washington has been out of work for two years because he had a stroke while performing his last examination. (It's possible that a psychic feedback can harm  the detective). In order to get back to work he's given a seemingly simple job: he has to examine a 17-year-old girl called Anna to find out why she's refusing to eat. She's the daughter of one of the richest women in America. From the beginning John gets involved in different layers of conspiracies. Anna claims that her father wants her to be declared insane and put in an institution so that he can inherit all of his wife's money. There were murders at Anna's school for which she was a suspect. One of Anna's teachers is in prison for having sexual relations with her, but he denies that anything sexual happened; he only took artistic nude photos of her.

John only has one week to examine Anna before she's put in an institution. During this week there are new murders. Anna blames her parents and they blame her, but strangely there is no police involvement. While watching the film I thought this was a mistake, but after thinking about it I consider it deliberate.

Matters are further complicated by a mystery man following John, and John's boss is keeping secrets from him.

The plot is complicated, and even at the end I don't understand everything that happened. There's the obligatory plot twist in the last ten minutes of the film. This is the sort of film I would usually like, based on the premise and the non-linear story, but it doesn't possess the magic spark that would make me want to watch it again. I usually like Mark Strong as an actor, but in this film he doesn't play his usual tough guy role. He staggers around with a confused look on his face, like a deer in a headlight. He has none of his usual charisma.

Is "Mindscape" a science fiction film, a psychological thriller or a horror film? It's a bit of each. The mixture isn't very successful. I like the story, but it could have been made a lot better.

Success Ratio:  - 3.7

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