What world do you live in?  Do you live the one in person, the one in your mind, the one from your death bed?  When is a person truly awake?  Do you really know what is going on around you?  Is the grocery store clerk actually a mass murderer?  Probably not, but Awake made me think of all those scenarios and gets my recommendation to see it.

This movie stars Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, and Terrence Howard. Christensen plays a rich kid in need of a heart transplant.  Alba plays the girlfriend.  Howard plays the doctor who is also a great friend.  This movie is hard to talk about without giving it away.   I only knew what is stated above and was shocked to learn what the movie is really about, so in that sense, the writers did their job, even if looking back on it (just as in The Number 23) the writing was from screenwriting 101.  The acting is also pretty average, but that was expected knowing the cast.

I liked the twists and turns this movie gives you and in all great whodunits and thrillers, the movie gives you many hints along the way.  Now a far superior movie like The Prestige was better at the hints teasing the viewer, but Awake does a good job, and sadly got me to believe the part of the story that avoids the real story going on.

This is an average movie when it comes to filmmaking, but is a little more entertaining than ‘quality’ movies.  The real question is; am I just thinking it was good or was it actually good?  What did I really see?  What did you just really read?  Are you sure?  Am I awake or are you awake.  Is perception reality?  You decide.

Similar recommended titles: Shattered Glass, The Prestige and The Number 23