Even Better The Second Time!

Rating: 9/10 (19 February 2010)

I was lucky enough to see this film on opening day and like a lot of people I was interested to see how Scorsese would tackle this new genre. I must say that the movie was nothing like I expected, but in my opinion is one of the best films to come out in a very long time.
That being said, I lined up the very next day with a different group of friends to watch it a second time to see how different the perspective would be having that I already know the twist. I really believe that it's not until you watch this film the second time (or that you have an extremely good memory) that you can't really appreciate just how good this film is.
A lot of people have been bagging out the film saying that the twist is predictable. Well yes, obviously it's not a stretch to work out that Leonardo's character is somewhat psychopathic given the constant flashbacks and how overall unstable he appears to be. Although, Scorsese does do a good job of trying to throw the viewer off the scent (e.g. the second meeting with Rachel). However for me, the actual twist was not the fact that he was unstable, more the fact that the entire film had been a set-up by the institution and Leonardo was, as so aptly put by a patient, 'a rat in a maze'.
The thing I really liked about this film (and again, watching a second time I highly recommend) are the subtleties across the entire film that suggest the twist. Things like Mark Ruffalo struggling to get his gun out of his holster early in the film (obviously because he's never had to unclip a holster before). The institutions flat out refusal to hand over records of staff. The joking and lack of attention when Leonardo is interviewing the staff. When the axe lady was asked about Dr Sheehan, she mentions that he is good-looking and a very quick shot is then taken of Mark Ruffalo (who we later find out is Dr Sheehan) glancing back at her with almost a smirk. The constant dropping of various lines across the film to try to spark Leonardo's memory. Various glances between staff working at the institution. The first Rachel scene where they try to jog Leonardo's memory about his wife murdering the children. The warden's obvious dislike towards Leonardo claiming that he is violent and knows him well. Theses truly are the things that I believe make this film (and there are a tonne more) a cut above most other Hollywood trash.
This was a brilliant film and whilst I don't believe this is something for everyone, I feel it really challenges the viewer mentally and you can't help but go through the psychosis with Leonardo, wandering if he is actually insane or whether the institution is setting him up. Throw into the mix some first-class acting and this is a real winner in my books, watch out for this as a contender for some big awards.