Memory is a 2023 American drama movie starring Jessica Chastain as Sylvia, a single mother and social worker grappling with her previous, and Peter Sarsgaard as Saul, a man suffering from early onset dementia, in a story that intertwines their troubled lives following a highschool reunion. The film is written and directed by Michel Franco. It additionally stars Merritt Wever, Brooke Timber, Elsie Fisher, Josh Charles and Jessica Harper. The film is a Mexican-American manufacturing. The film was chosen to compete for the Golden Lion at the 80th Venice Worldwide Movie Festival, the place it premiered on 8 September 2023. Sarsgaard gained the Volpi Cup for Best Actor for his performance. Sylvia, a single mom, social worker, and recovering alcoholic, reluctantly attends a high school reunion along with her youthful sister Olivia. Sylvia is perturbed by a man who sits subsequent to and smiles at her. She leaves the occasion and is adopted residence by the man, who waits exterior in the rain.

In the morning, Sylvia finds him sleeping outdoors, wet, and barely responsive. She finds out his title is Saul and phones his brother, Isaac, to retrieve him. At Saul and Isaac's house she is obtainable an apology: Saul suffers from early onset dementia, causing him to get disoriented and confused, and hindering his ability to recall or create memories. Sylvia takes Saul to a park to ask why he followed her. Saul says he would not know and can't recall meeting her before, which upsets her. Sylvia tells Saul that in highschool some of his classmates bought her drunk and sexually assaulted her. Sylvia accuses Saul of collaborating however he insists he would not do not forget that. Enraged, Sylvia steals his necklace with emergency contact data in it, abandons him, adjustments her mind, returns the necklace, and helps get him residence. Sara, Isaac's daughter, gives Sylvia a second job caring for Saul throughout the day. Sylvia accepts after Olivia assures her that Saul joined their college after Sylvia transferred out, meaning he did not assault her.

Sylvia spends time caring for Saul they usually bond. Sylvia learns about Saul's deceased wife, a redhead like her, and he befriends Sylvia's teenage daughter Anna. At some point, Sylvia and Saul fall asleep on a sofa holding each other and are found by Sara. Uncomfortable with the incident, Sylvia stops her visits. Saul leaves the house on his own to seek out her and they start a romantic relationship, upsetting Isaac. Anna secretly gets acquainted with Sylvia and Olivia's mom, Samantha, as Sylvia all the time had insisted they by no means contact her. At Olivia's dwelling, Sylvia is confronted by Samantha in front of Saul and Anna. Sylvia is scolded by her mother for relationship a man with mental well being issues and retaining Anna away from her. After she accuses Sylvia of mendacity about her assault in highschool, Sylvia laments she was also sexually assaulted by her late father earlier than that and Samantha's refusal to imagine her is what drove her away. Olivia admits she remembers their father taking Sylvia into his room multiple times once they have been children.

When the younger Olivia requested Samantha about it, she was accused of mendacity too and slapped. Retraumatized, Sylvia secludes herself at residence as Saul cares for her. Olivia tries to see Sylvia, but is turned away by Anna who asks why she by no means confirmed Sylvia's abuse by their dad until now. Olivia says she was just a toddler and never sure if she may belief what she noticed. Sylvia returns to her every day routines with Saul's help. One night time, Saul returns from the bathroom however gets confused about which bedroom door is Sylvia's and which is Anna's, so he decides to sit down in the hallway. The subsequent day, whereas alone, Saul falls from Sylvia's balcony and is hospitalized. Sylvia makes an attempt to go to Saul however is stopped by Isaac. Sylvia makes an attempt to call Saul a number of instances and leaves messages he would not reply to. Anna visits Saul's home and sees he has a full-time nurse.

He was unable to contact Sylvia as a result of Isaac confiscated his telephone and forbade him from leaving the house. Anna convinces Saul to sneak out with her and leads him again to Sylvia who embraces him. Based on Selection, Chastain recommended Sarsgaard for the function of Saul. In October 2023, Ketchup Entertainment acquired distribution rights to the film. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 71 out of 100, based on 31 critics, indicating "usually favorable" critiques. La Biennale di Venezia. Wiseman, Andreas (23 May 2022). "Oscar Winner Jessica Chastain & Peter Sarsgaard Wrap On Below-The-Radar Movie 'Memory' From Cannes Regular Michel Franco