Memory (2023)

Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard find an unexpected bond in ‘Memory’. What we remember, what we forget, and whether we can choose those or not are at the heart of ‘Memory,’ a poignant character study of two damaged people.

‘Memory’ is a small and resolutely independent feature from writer-director Michel Franco, the Mexican filmmaker behind such provocative, frequently bleak films as ‘After Lucia,’ ‘Sundown,’ and the frightening, politically charged ‘New Order.’ With ‘Memory,’ he begins the film in a way that makes one think he’s heading down yet another dark path, but then takes an abrupt turn, making ‘Memory’ a movie that at least affirms the possibility that people can find love and hope again. Anchored by a fantastic cast, ‘Memory’ is a cinematic chamber piece that leaves one both haunted and moved.