‘Reminiscence’ movie review: An overtly cerebral try-hard that ends up being forgetful

When a film takes place in Florida, you know things will take a bizarre turn. Reminiscence follows a veteran Nick Bannister and his partner Watts using sensory-deprivation tanks equipped with Memento -like tech to help people relive their memories. When Nick and Watts are approached by a mysterious woman Mae who needs help locating a misplaced set of keys – cue the weird red flag – Nick is entranced by her and they become embroiled in an affair so heated that it would probably contribute to the already-terrible global warming situation. When Nick and Watts are asked to retrieve the memories of a comatose patient who may have information on a drug cartel led by Saint Joe, Nick finds out Mae may have been involved with some shady business which could explain her disappearance. The film’s art direction by Matthew Gatlin and Scott Plauche also conveys the various tones of the story; the high saturation makes every element on the screen appear more vivid and alive given the ongoing heatwaves, offering a sense of urgency, while the scenes of cooler hues push a more clinical overtone.