Delayed Reaction: Dead Again

The Pitch: What if bad relationships play out again and again throughout history?

After taking in a woman who can't remember her past, a P.I. discovers that the woman and him are reliving a relationship from 40 years ago that ended violently.

I saw this movie a few years ago during my most intense phase of my Club 50 catchup. I watched this movie very drunk, assuming that it was be like Black Widow or No Way Out: a movie that I just needed to check off the list and didn't need to remember at all. The problem is, I loved the movie, but by the next morning, I couldn't remember why. That's weirdly fitting for the movie too, given what it's about. Before I got a chance to rewatch Dead Again, it left Netflix streaming. Since then, it's been this enigma, with a reputation that preceded it. I've said many times "I love that movie," without having the "why" part ready to explain.

I finally moved it up to the top of my Netflix queue and rewatched it on a sober Sunday afternoon. Simply put, it holds up. It's a fun mystery movie. There are several entertaining twists, including the gender-bending one that almost feels like a cheat. It's hard to complain about a cast with Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Andy Garcia, and Robin Williams. Williams' role felt like one he took as a favor to Branagh and decided to have as much fun as possible with.

This is the perfect channel surfing kind of movie. I never would've thought about watching it had it not been for my Club 50 list. It never appeared on any other watchlist I had. Rather, it's a movie that I would catch the opening credits of while flipping through the channels, leave on initially out of a vague curiosity, then accidentally watch the whole thing. There needs to be a way to reproduce this for the cord cutting generation.

Dear Netflix,

I've got a great idea for a feature. Here's how it works. Add an "I Feel Lucky" button. It asks 5-10 questions about the type of movie you want to see and the time constraints then starts one randomly. Most people won't take advantage of this, but I guarantee those who do will appreciate it. Discovering random good movies is a thrill.

Love,

That guy who spends hours rating every movie in your library that he can.

Verdict: Strongly Recommend