Nicole Kidman is still finding her way out of the rut she had been in for a few years, with some of her decisions making more sense than others. What the hell was she doing in Just Go With It last year? And Trespass with Nicolas Cage is so bad it'd be a career killer for anybody else. Even though I felt her role in Rabbit Hole paled in comparison to her co-star, Aaron Eckhart, it proved that she's still an elite actress when she wants to be. This year should be an interesting one, with roles in Park Chan-Wook's Stoker, and Lee Daniels' The Paperboy.
Next on her list is the sophomore directorial effort by Rowan Joffe, an adaptation of S.J. Watson's best selling novel, Before I Go to Sleep. Joffe made his directorial debut adapting Graham Greene's novel, Brighton Rock. He also provided the scripts for Danny Boyle's 28 Weeks Later, and The American with George Clooney. In other words, dude has some skills.
Sounding as if it was stolen directly from Christopher Nolan's Memento, the book follows Christine, a woman who wakes up every day with no memories of what came before. They all just disappear, to the point where Ben, her husband is forced to bring her back up to speed on who she is and the life she leads. Encouraged by her doctor to keep a journal(what, no tattoos?) to help with recall, one morning she is shocked by three words she apparently wrote: "Don't Trust Ben".
A start date hasn't been mapped out yet, but I like the route Kidman is taking lately, and with Joffe on board, who in my mind hasn't slipped up yet, this is a film definitely worth keeping a close eye on for next year. [Screen Daily]
