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Movie Profile
Awake
2007 ยท United States - Joby Harold
A wealthy man named Clayton Beresford Jr. (Hayden Christensen) has a faulty heart and needs a heart transplant. Against his mother's wishes, he will be operated on by his surgeon friend, Jack (Terrence Howard), instead of a prestigious doctor. He is also dating his mother's secretary Sam (played by Alba), whom he marries on the eve of the surgery. However, when he finds that he is still awake during the operation (a phenomenon called anesthesia awareness), he finds out about a plot to kill him and get his money, and learns that Jack and Sam are in on it. Eventually, his mother catches on and sacrifices herself to let Clayton have her compatible heart. The film ends with hospital security arresting all the corrupt doctors except Jack, who has locked himself inside his office. His respite is short-lived however, as a locksmith is seen in the last scene, undoing the lock in the door. He also has evidence in his hands showing that Sam was in the room during surgery. Meanwhile, Sam attempts to escape by using one of the hospital's Emergency Exit doors but is apprehended by authorities.
Genres:
Crime, Thriller, Drama
Release date:
2007-11-30
External links:
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Rotten Tomatoes
12 Critic reviews
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Liam Lacey
Globe and Mail
With a couple of more drafts to mend the plot holes and restructure the middle act, Awake could have been saved.
December 03, 2007 read full article
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Roger Moore
Orlando Sentinel
[Joby] Harold's script has a surprise or three in it, a biggy near the end. But he's a director with no poker face. He tips his hand early and often.
December 03, 2007 read full article
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Stephen Hunter
Washington Post
Awake is a pleasing if negligible diversion.
December 03, 2007 read full article
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Bruce Demara
Toronto Star
The plot has more holes in it than a tea bag and the film should come with a warning label: don't go see with anyone with even a modicum of medical knowledge, because they'll surely spend the film huffing and rolling their eyes skyward.
December 03, 2007 read full article
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Jan Stuart
Newsday
If you have an ax to grind with someone who harbors a morbid fear of surgery, you couldn't design a better revenge than taking them to see Awake.
December 03, 2007 read full article
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Jack Mathews
New York Daily News
Possibly the worst movie of 2007, and certainly the worst movie ever made featuring the spirits of dying people discussing their futures and sharing mortal flashbacks.
December 02, 2007 read full article
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Wesley Morris
Boston Globe
The movie tries going for a laugh or two. It even makes stabs at irony. But since none of the story is suspenseful, remotely believable, or, at the very least, cheaply entertaining, who cares?
December 02, 2007 read full article
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Jeannette Catsoulis
New York Times
Awake is filled with risible medical behavior (the sterility of the operating room is repeatedly compromised) and a horizontal Mr. Christensen screaming variations on "Oh no, I can feel that!"
December 02, 2007 read full article
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Dennis Harvey
Variety
Debuting writer-director Joby Harold's thriller does have an attention-getting plot hook, but piles on too many narrative gimmicks to maintain suspense or credibility.
December 02, 2007 read full article
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James Berardinelli
ReelViews
The way characters interact with each other and the manner in which the master plan unfolds will stretch the credulity of even the most generous viewer.
December 02, 2007 read full article
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Frank Scheck
Hollywood Reporter
Sometimes in their urgency to prevent critics from seeing their dreck, film companies throw out the baby with the bathwater. Such is the case with this nifty little thriller.
December 02, 2007 read full article
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Roger Ebert
Chicago Sun-Times
Accuracy is not the point. Suspense is. And from the moment Clay realizes he is not fully under anesthesia and can hear and feel everything that is happening, the movie had me.
December 02, 2007 read full article
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