A 1996 Science Fiction Thriller directed by John Dahl that has a desperate man (Ray Liotta) using a scientist's (Linda Fiorentino) memory drug to find his wife's murderer.
The movie also stars Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald, Kim Coates, David Paymer, Kim Cattrall, William B Davis, and Duncan Fraser.
It was released on February 23, 1996.
Tropes for the film:
- The Atoner: Gleick in the end when he discovers Krane was innocent. He apologizes to the comatose Krane and tells him that Bresler is going to prison. He's clearly distraught he treated Krane so badly over the course of the film.
- Big Bad: Detective Bresler.
- Bittersweet Ending: To Clear My Name, Crane goes back into a burning house to get the audio recording of Bresler's confession. He manages to do so, but is hit and severely injured by burning debris on the way out, rendering him comatose. While he'll heal physically, Briggs tells Gleick he's not responding mentally, and could come out of the coma at any time. The film ends without revealing for sure when or if Krane came out of the coma. Not to mention all of the use of Briggs' serum, often over her objections, has likely left him with long-term debilitating side effects to his heart.
- Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Don Bresler, who was the one actually responsible for the death of Krane's wife. When Crane figures it out, he attempts to burn both Crane and Martha Briggs to cover his tracks.
- Clear My Name: David Krane is determined to find his wife's killer, as a way to clear himself of her death, as many think he was the one who did it, including his sister-in-law.
- Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Bresler. The corrupt cop was involved with Eddie Dutton, whom he kills to cover his tracks. His partner, Det. Bodner, who was having an affair with Krane's wife, feel's guilty and attempts to inform on him, so Bresler shoots him, putting him in a coma, and makes it look like a suicide attempt. When Krane and Briggs figure out what he's done, he tries to kill them too.
- Cop and Scientist: Played with. Krane is a medical examiner and Dr. Briggs is a scientist who developed a serum to allow people to relive other people's memories. They end up partnering for the film so Krane can attempt to Clear My Name.
- Dirty Cop: Bresler. Among other things, he's responsible for the death of Krane's wife.
- Drugs Are Bad: Invoked. While Dr. Briggs' serum does work effectively, it damages Krane's heart the more he uses it. He has to be revived with nitroglycerine at one point, and later has a heart attack that puts him in the hospital.
- Eerie Pale-Skinned Brunette: Played with. Dr. Briggs IS played by Linda Fiorentino after all.
- Even Evil Has Standards: While Krane ended up being blamed for his wife's murder, Bresler admits he was relieved when Krane's trial was thrown out on a technicality, allowing him to go free, and says he wasn't intentionally trying to frame Krane.
- Fire-Forged Friends: Krane and Dr. Briggs. She reluctantly teams up with him after Krane steals her serum and uses it, which leaves him with heart problems.
- Ghost Memory: Dr. Krane, who is accused of the murder of his wife, injects himself with her memories, and later, memories of others caught up in the conspiracy involving her death.
- Hated by All: Most of the supporting cast is antagonistic towards Krane, as they believe he killed his wife and got away with it due to a technicality.
- Higher Understanding Through Drugs: Played with. Dr. Briggs serum alows him to relieve the short-term memories of others, even those that are dead. He uses the understanding to try to determine who murdered his wife.]]
- Implied Love Interest: While Krane and Briggs never do anything romantic over the course of the film, at the end, she's watching over his bedside as he's in a coma, which implies she might view Krane as more than just a friend, and may pursue something with him if he fully recovers.
- Jerkass: Stewart Gleick, who antagonizes Crane at every opportunity and believes he got away with murder (Crane won his trial on a technicality) He is regretful in the end when he discovers it was Besler who was responsible for the murder of Crane's wife.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Krane. He puts Briggs' reputation and work at risk by stealing her serum and using himself as a guinea pig despite her obvious objections, only getting her on his side after convincing her it's too late to stop now. Also, Krane reveals he was an alcoholic and his marriage was on the rocks, which led to his wife having an affair with Det. Bodner. However, he really did love his wife and eventually grows to respect Dr. Briggs and follow her advice, for the most part.
- I Want You to Meet an Old Friend of Mine: Paymer and McDonald previously worked together on Quiz Show.
- Also, director John Dahl and Linda Fiorentino reteam after The Last Seduction.
- The Lancer: Dr. Briggs to Krane. She's not thrilled about it, at first.
- Ms. Fanservice: While the movie does take steps to tone down her natural looks and put her in plainer hair and makeup, at the end of the day, Dr. Martha Briggs is still played by one of the most famous film femme fatales of all, Linda Fiorentino.
- The Not-Love Interest: Dr. Briggs to Krane. Even though they team together, their relationship never progresses beyond friends. However, in the original script, a love scene between the two was included.
Word of God Linda Fiorentino said she was disappointed it was removed. - One-Word Title: Unforgettable.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Subverted. [[spoiler: Bresler seems to have Krane's best interests at heart, but in actuality, he killed Krane's wife and is trying to cover his tracks and hide his corruption. He also put his former partner in a coma because said partner was going to inform on him.
- Stuff Blowing Up: Bresler blows up Dr. Briggs' lab to cut Krane off from the serum he's using to relive others' memories, which are bringing him closer and closer to discovering Bresler's involvement in the death of Krane's wife.
- Tagline: "He loved her. He lost her. He won't let her memory die... until it tells him who killed her".
- Tested on Humans: Subverted. Once Krane discovers Dr. Briggs' serum can allow him to transfer memories to himself, he's eager to try it to try and find his wife's murderer. When Briggs refuses for obvious reasons, he steals it. Briggs is not pleased.
