Awake (2007 film)
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| Awake | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Joby Harold |
| Written by | Joby Harold |
| Produced by | Jason Kliot John Penotti Joana Vicente Fisher Stevens |
| Starring | Hayden Christensen Jessica Alba Lena Olin Arliss Howard Terrence Howard |
| Cinematography | Russell Carpenter |
| Edited by | Craig McKay |
| Music by | Graeme Revell Samuel Sim |
Production companies | The Weinstein Company GreeneStreet Films |
| Distributed by | The Weinstein Company Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date | November 30, 2007 |
Running time | 84 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Japanese |
| Budget | $8.6 million |
| Box office | $32.7 million |
Awake is a 2007 American
Plot
Young billionaire Clay Beresford, Jr. is in love with beautiful Samantha "Sam" Lockwood, his mother's personal assistant. Clay requires a
While Clay's mother Lilith awaits completion of his surgery, Clay encounters
The scheme unravels and Lilith, realizing what has happened, sacrifices her own life so that Clay, who is close to death, can live: she dies by suicide so her heart can be switched for the poisoned one, and save Clay. While Sam tries to get away with what she did, Dr. Harper feels guilty and he holds onto proof so she can be arrested too. Another surgical team takes over the operation, as Clay barely clings to life and the conspirators are arrested. The new team takes Lilith's heart and transplants it into Clay's body, as Clay and Lilith have their final moments together in spirit (in an out-of-body experience).
The new head surgeon announces that Clay has come back to life, as the new team stitch Clay's wound. Clay, in spirit, is still in the afterlife with Lilith, tries to take his own life to stay with his mother. Clay makes his new heart stop beating and the surgeons have to use the defibrillator in attempt to revive Clay. As Clay resists being revived, Lilith forces Clay (in the "afterlife-world") to revisit a scene from his childhood, when Lilith killed Clay's abusive father. This scene reveals the truth for Clay and connects his childhood flashbacks. After seeing this, Clay gives way to revival, and before the surgeons can shock his body again, Clay allows his new heart to begin beating. Clay opens his eyes when the surgeons remove the eye tapes while Harper ends his narratings with "He is awake".
Cast
- Hayden Christensen as Clay Beresford, Jr.
- Jessica Alba as Samantha "Sam" Lockwood/Tunnel
- Terrence Howard as Dr. Jack Harper
- Lena Olin as Lilith Beresford
- Nathalie Efron as Mary Beresford
- Fisher Stevens as Dr. Puttnam
- Arliss Howard as Dr. Neyer
- Christopher McDonald as Dr. Larry Lupin
- Georgina Chapman as Nurse Penny Carver
- David Harbour as Dracula
- Sam Robards as Clay Beresford, Sr.
- Steven Hinkle as Young Clay
Production
Portions of Awake were filmed on
Reception
The film was not screened in advance for critics. The film opened at #5 at the U.S. Box office in its first opening weekend. As of July 11, 2008 it had a domestic box office gross of $14,377,198 in the U.S.,[1] and a total of $32,685,679 worldwide.
Awake received generally negative reviews upon release. The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that 24% of critics have given the film a positive review based on 62 reviews, with an average rating of 4.23/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Awake has an interesting premise but would have benefited from tighter performances and more efficient direction and editing."[2] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 33 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".[3] Dennis Harvey of Variety said the film "does have an attention-getting plot hook, but piles on too many narrative gimmicks to maintain suspense or credibility."[4] Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times defended the film, saying, "I went to a regular theater to see it Friday afternoon, knowing nothing about it except that the buzz was lethal, and sat there completely absorbed. ... I did not anticipate the surprises, did not anticipate them piling on after one another, got very involved in the gory surgical details, and found the supporting soap opera good as such things go".[5] Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter said "[Harold] succeeds in creating a quietly ominous tone that never lets up, with this being the rare modern horror effort that relies on suspense rather than bloodshed."[6]
A group representing anesthesiologists in
Home media
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The film was released on DVD on March 4, 2008, and onBlu-ray on November 18, 2008.
References
- ^ Awake at Box Office Mojo
- ^ "Awake (2007)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- CBS Interactive. Archivedfrom the original on 2007-12-02. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
- ^ "Variety review by Dennis Harvey, posted November 30, 2007".
- ^ Ebert, Roger (30 November 2007). "This can't be happening to me!". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved 2022-10-18.
- ^ "Awake: Bottom Line: Sleep won't be an option". Archived from the original on 2009-12-13. Retrieved 2013-07-02.
- ^ Ontario's Anesthesiologists (2007-11-30). "Ontario's Anesthesiologists Criticize the Film Awake". CNW Group. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
- ^ Mulholland, Angela (2007-11-28). "'Awake' exaggerates anesthesia awareness: doc". CTV News. Archived from the original on 2007-12-03. Retrieved 2007-12-22.
