Doe

"Doe" plays out a little bit like an episode of Black Mirror. The concept is great(I won't spoil it) most everything else is not. The characters are 2D. The acting is often laughable due in part to a script with the emotional depth of most video game scripts. Doesn't quite make it to the "so bad it's good" territory. It's just a mildly interesting scenario with a very generic adaptation.

The story is interesting enough to keep you engaged, the acting is ok, the dialogue is a little clunky in places with no really memorable lines ... its a solid 6. Entertaining enough to fill a couple of hours.

Drawn out, unsavory and annoying, the slow reveal leaves a bad taste with no satisfaction. The wife character, played by Tatyana Ali, is irksome throughout, adding to the frustration of the storyline. Disjointed imagery of rabbits is never adequately explained and only adds to the flawed execution of the outlandish premise.

John Hutton (a fine and likeable performance by Timothy Davis) wakes up one day with no memory of who he is, but somehow has acquired the ability to speak dozens of languages fluently. John teams up with his private detective brother-in-law Carl (superbly played by Matthew St. Patrick) to uncover the secret of his true past identity. Director Justin Foia relates the compelling story at a constant pace, adroitly crafts an intriguing aura of mystery, grounds the premise in a plausible everyday reality, and builds a good deal of tension. The smart script by Justin and Timothy Foia offers a potent and provocative exploration on the themes of redemption, second chances, and the moral consequences of big companies doing scientific experiments on society's most disposable and undesirable people. Davis makes for a strong and sympathetic protagonist; he receives sound support from Tatyana Ali as John's sweet and concerned wife Rachel, Mira Sorvino as a cold business-like corporate executive, Aaron Farb as the jittery Lucas, Anne Leighton as angry felon Emmaline, Faithe Herman as John's adorable daughter Jordan, Stacey Oristano as the grief-stricken Hollie, Steven Swadling as paranoid former prison warden George Hayes, and Josh Crotty as despicable racist biker Cage. The uncompromisingly downbeat ending packs a devastating punch. A real sleeper.

I can generally find something I like about most movies I see, this movie had nothing I could put in the pros list. DOE has no redeeming qualities and should never have been green lighted. I'm pretty sure a freshman at an uncredited film school could come up with a better story.

This movie since it did start out in an investigative manner (I truly appreciate that) but turned out a poor outcome at the end. It would be an extra touch if some flashbacks as to how the leading man and woman met since he had no memory. This could have added to the victims of this storyline. Casting was good. Otherwise when Man (biotech company) plays as if he is a god and pretends it is all for the sake of permanent rehabilitation it never ends well.