My coverage of the 2023 AFI Festival continues with reviewing the Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard-led film, Memory. You can check out my other reviews from the festival including Leave the World Behind, Sly, and Freud’s Last Session.

Memory

Written and Directed by Michel Franco
Starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard
Plot: Sylvia is a social worker who leads a simple and structured life. This is blown open when Saul follows her home from their high school reunion. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open the door to the past.

There has been plenty of buzz around Memory ever since Peter Sarsgaard took home the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival. Factor in that with starring opposite of Academy Award-winner Jessica Chastain, you have a recipe for a strong film on paper. 

Sylvia leaves her High School Reunion early, but as she heads home a strange man begins to follow her home. The following morning, she notices the man still outside and asks him questions. She sees that he has a card on him with his contact information, calling his emergency contact, and they come pick him up. 

Saul (Sarsgaard) is suffering from early dementia that leads to him getting into situations that he doesn’t remember. One of those was with Sylvia that night at the reunion. However, Sylvia believes she recalls Saul from her childhood, and he had a part in some traumatic events with her. Shortly after thinking this, the claims are realized to be untrue, but this leads to their relationship being explored even more. 

How Michel Francho presented this film felt like watching two broken people trying to find another broken person to love their broken pieces. Of course, Slyvia has her own demons and handles them by going to AA meetings while Saul is battling dementia. It’s such a unique love story that Franco allows the actors to fill in the pieces of his script. 

Franco doesn’t shy away from weaving these troubled pieces of people together in a way that makes us realize that things in life aren’t always rainbows and butterflies. 

I understand why Peter Sarsgaard won the award for Best Actor as he is magnificent in this film. The chemistry between him and Chastain is perfect, and how they ooze the authenticity of the characters truly makes this film work. 

Overall, Memory isn’t perfect, but there are some powerful moments in the film that will leave you in pieces. The script felt somewhat messy, but after listening to Franco speak about the film, it’s almost as if it was done on purpose. I liked the film and recommend checking it out when it is released.