Friday September 10, 06:01 PM
'TRAUMA' (15)

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For a while it looked like Colin Firth was in danger of nicking Hugh Grant's title of the UK's Most Romantic Leading Man: making nothing but soppy film after soppy film which required him to do little more than swoon, um and ah a bit, and then kiss the girl. Fortunately The Girl With A Pearl Earring helped crack that image, restoring some much needed credibility, and fortunately Trauma continues Firth's rehabilitation.

Firth stars as Ben who. when he wakes from a coma, discovers that he and his wife (Naomie Harris) were both in a terrible car accident. He was lucky, but she wasn't and plagued by guilt (he was driving), struggles to get on with his life. A series of friends and acquaintances, including Mena Suvari, Tommy Flanagan and Sean Harris, try to help, but when a medium (Brenda Fricker) suggests his wife isn't dead Ben is back at square one. Throw in the death of a much loved pop star and Ben fast approaches breaking point.

With overtones of Christopher Nolan's excellent Memento, director Marc Evans has proved that his previous effort My Little Eye was no flash in the pan. He's given the film a very distant and cold feel, while throwing in enough flashy visuals and a nicely fractured storyline to keep us interested.

Firth is a revelation as Ben. Almost unrecognisable under a few days stubble and boasting a pair of haunted and tired eyes, this is certainly a fair cry from his days as Mr. Darcy. While his remote and withdrawn may make it tough for audiences to feel much compassion for Ben, Firth still manages to create a bond, an achievement not to be overlooked.

Admirably dark and tense, Trauma will keep you guessing and double guessing right up until the last reel.