Some movies just land at the wrong time — and Reminiscence might be the cleanest example of that. Released in 2021 with a hefty budget, big stars, and serious ambition, the sci-fi noir starring Rebecca Ferguson and Hugh Jackman was quickly labeled a flop and pushed aside. Now, four years later, the film is quietly finding a second life on HBO Max, where audiences are discovering it without the weight of box office expectations or pandemic-era noise.
When Reminiscence hit theaters, it arrived with a tough setup. Part cerebral sci-fi, part romantic noir, part climate-change allegory, the film didn’t slot neatly into any one genre. Viewers expecting a straightforward blockbuster were met with something slower, moodier, and more introspective, and at that time, people just wanted entertainment. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t do so well. The film struggled commercially and was quickly written off as an overcooked misfire, despite its striking visuals and ambitious ideas. Which is where streaming comes along, obviously.
Is ‘Reminiscence’ Worth Watching?
Collider’s review of the movie stated that Reminiscence is an ambitious but ultimately disappointing attempt to fuse classic noir with futuristic sci-fi, undone by shallow thematic execution. While the film initially impresses with striking production design, lush cinematography, and solid performances from Jackman, Thandiwe Newton, and Ferguson, it steadily unravels as it rejects noir’s necessary darkness in favor of a soft, crowd-pleasing resolution. Lisa Joy’s heavy-handed narration and underdeveloped class commentary talk down to the audience rather than trusting the visuals or story to do the work. Despite its intriguing premise and atmospheric setting, Reminiscence ends up feeling like stylish texture without substance, culminating in a forgettable and emotionally hollow conclusion.
“What’s more frustrating is that the class commentary is merely window dressing. It kind of positions Mae’s story as a consequence of class conflict, but it doesn’t have much to do with Nick. It’s simply the world he inhabits, and while he doesn’t need to be a class warrior or anything like that, his perceptions of the world exist separate from his personal journey to find Mae. He doesn’t see the world one way and have that perception changed through his relationship with Mae, so it’s just Joy embracing her own cleverness by showing a sci-fi world that emphasizes class conflict. However, she doesn’t do the work to connect that world to her protagonist’s story, so it all feels hollow. Reminiscence is texture without purpose.”
Reminiscence is streaming now on HBO Max.
Release Date
August 20, 2021
Runtime
116 Minutes
Director
Lisa Joy
Writers
Lisa Joy