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The I Inside

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Wikipedia article




'The I Inside' is a 2003 psychological thriller directed by Roland Suso Richter. It was written by Michael Cooney based on his own play 'Point of Death'. This film has no connection with the science-fiction novel 'The I Inside', by Alan Dean Foster.

Plot



Simon Cable wakes up in a hospital bed, confused and disoriented. He soon discovers from doctors that he has amnesia and is unable to remember the last two years of his life. Cable investigates what has happened to him and slowly pieces together his enigmatic past.

Cast



* Ryan Phillippe as Simon Cable

* Sarah Polley as Clair

* Piper Perabo as Anna

* Stephen Rea as Dr. Newman

* Robert Sean Leonard as Peter Cable

* Stephen Lang as Mr. Travitt

* Peter Egan as Dr. Truman

* Stephen Graham as Travis

* Rakie Ayola as Nurse Clayton

Production



The film is the English-language debut of German director Roland Suso Richter, whose previous credits include 'The Tunnel, After the Truth', and '14 Days to Life'. Richter commented on the script by saying, "I was excited when I first read the script and if I can give something like that to the audience, that would be great."[http://www.starseeker.com/films/iinside.htm "The I Inside"] at 'Star Seeker' The film was initially announced in 2001 with Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Christian Slater in talks to star. Production began on June 5, 2002 in Wales on a budget of about $10 million, and wrapped in mid-July 2002. For the backdrop, the production crew used Sully Hospital, near Penarth, Cardiff in south Wales. Ryan Phillippe commented on filming in Wales, which was his first trip to the country, "The people are great and I have found some world-class restaurants, which is nice when you are get off from filming and want to go somewhere to relax."

Analyzing the criminal psyche is a common motif in Cooney's films and plays, and 'The I Inside' is no exception. Though he himself is a stranger to real-life criminal trauma, Cooney explains that, "It's true that (criminal) psychology is a recurring theme of all my plays — those that aren't comedies, anyway. And while I don't have any background in it, I maintain that it's because I had such a happy childhood. It allowed me to explore the darker side of things, because I knew I would never get lost there."

Reception



The film has generally received negative reviews from online critics. It holds a 33% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Review sites have commended the film for a rather involving first two-thirds, with the mystery slowly being revealed layer by layer, drawing in the viewer. However, some critics found the ending a let down, calling it a "gotcha" gimmickNix, [http://www.beyondhollywood.com/reviews/theiinside.htm "The I Inside" Review] , 'Beyond Hollywood' that causes "the past 70 or so minutes (to go) out the window". 'Currentfilm.com' gives the most positive review of the film, bestowing a rating of 3 out of 4 stars and describing the film as "an absolutely terrific thriller, and a really great surprise". The review acknowledges that there are "some minor story flaws and plot holes" but adds "that's not totally unexpected in a totally twisty film like this". Christopher Null of 'Filmcritic.com' brings up a strange but interesting point: "The movie is based on a play with a much different title, one that actually gives away the surprise ending."

'The I Inside' has been compared with such films as 'Memento',Anthony Nield, [http://dvdtimes.co.uk/content.php?contentid=56673 "The I Inside" Review], 'DVD Times' 'The Butterfly Effect',, 'Current Film' 'eXistenZ', and 'Jacob's Ladder'Christopher Null, , 'Filmcritic.com' in several critical reviews. These films all feature similar story elements that tend to blur the distinctions between fantasy and reality.

References



Further reading



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