Try to Remember (2004) starring Gabrielle Anwar, Max Martini, Diego Wallraff, Garry Chalk, David Richmond-Peck, Gerald Lenton-Young directed by Jeff Beesley Movie Review

Try to Remember (2004)   3/53/53/53/53/5


Gabrielle Anwar as Lisa Monroe in Mary Higgins Clark's Try to Remember (2004)

A Killer Pitch

What do you expect from a made for TV movie whose title is preceded by the words "Mary Higgins Clark's"? For me those words tell me that whilst the movie will be easy to watch it will also be a typical TV movie with various weaknesses from lack of character depth to corny plot twists. As such when I watched "Mary Higgins Clark's Try to Remember" it was exactly what I expected, a reworking of a familiar murder, mystery storyline which whilst flawed was easy to watch.

Twelve years after having left her hometown of Milford Lisa Monroe (Gabrielle Anwar - Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead) returns as fully qualified Police Detective to work at the Milford station much to the bemusement of Sergeant Stuart Kling (Garry Chalk) who is old school and sexist. But shortly after her return Lisa's Gran dies and Lisa suspects foul play especially as Jake Mitchell (Diego Wallraff) who 15 years earlier murdered her friend Jenny is out on parole and vowed to kill those who testified against him during his trial. When the security guard who testified against Jake is also found murdered it seems that Jake is doing exactly what he said would.

Max Martini as Joe in Mary Higgins Clark's Try to Remember (2004)

I am not going to attempt to persuade you that "Try to Remember" is any more than it is because in truth it is purely a new skin on old bones. As such we watch Lisa with the help of her childhood friend who is now Lieutenant Joe O'Conner investigate the death of her Gran and subsequent deaths with Jake being the main suspect. But along the way we get thrown a few other possible suspects; the angry former boyfriend who still would love to kill Jake, Sergeant Kling who belittles Lisa and Jenny's father who acted a bit creepily when she visited him, even Joe is a possibility as he acts strange. As such we watch till eventually Lisa comes face to face with the killer in a dramatic ending. None of which is new or in truth well put together as there are some corny aspects to this by the book TV movie none more so the importance of Lisa having had a killer pitch when she was at high school.

But the thing is that when taken for what it is, a familiar TV movie "Try to Remember" sort of works and is certainly easy to watch especially for those who don't fancy anything which is violent or too challenging. Much of the reason for it being easy to watch is thanks to Gabrielle Anwar as whilst her character is just a stereotype Anwar has this likeability factor and it makes it easy to just enjoy watching her go about trying to solve the mystery. Max Martini as Joe also has that easy going likeability factor which means whilst it is corny that we have an underlying romantic subplot it's not too cheesy.

What this all boils down to is that "Mary Higgins Clark's Try to Remember" is a familiar movie which basically can be summed up as new skin on old bones. It is easy to watch and thanks to Gabrielle Anwar quite pleasant but only if you are a fan of these made for TV movies which run loose with realism.


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