Unknown White Male

Directed by Rupert Murray

Wellspring Media

4 Stars

A few nights ago, something marvelous happened to me. I lost all memory of the past 25 years of agenda-driven documentaries. I forgot about the last time I walked out of a documentary feeling guilty about my way of life. I couldn’t recall ever seeing an Enron, Fox News, or other large-corporation-whackumentary. And I certainly didn’t remember Michael Moore’s shotgun-style political ranting.

Instead, I felt illuminated. I felt light and free. I felt informed and entertained without feeling bludgeoned by a bogus political message.

Because you see, the other night, I saw "Unknown White Male," the remarkably incisive documentary debut by British director Rupert Murray concerning his friend Doug Bruce who suffers total amnesia on Coney Island. And his amnesia is "total" in every sense of the word. While he retains most of his so-called semantic memory (his knowledge of language and places), he can’t remember his job, home address, birth name, family members, or any aspect of his past life.

Eventually, Bruce finds an ex-girlfriend who picks him up and helps him fit the pieces of his life together, but ultimately, he doesn’t care that he has a spacious Manhattan apartment and ample financial resources. Bruce cares about what he doesn’t have—his memories.

Murray, who also edited "Unknown White Male," is a stunningly graceful cinematographer and storyteller, letting Bruce’s tale unfold organically rather than imposing an outsider’s take on someone with no memories.

For the simple purposes of scientific understanding, Murray does consult Harvard’s own Professor of Psychology Daniel L. Schacter, an expert in the field of memory loss. Schacter’s presence adds a tangential sense of scientific credibility to what is really a tale about one man’s struggle with a past he can no longer remember but which continues to surround and bombard him.

Bruce reconnects with his family in a disorienting airport reunion that, back at his father’s house, gives way to bitter tears. His mother died several months before, and he finds the fact that he can’t remember wishing her goodbye on her deathbed particularly stinging. But Murray particularly emphasizes Bruce’s forging of new relationships, profiling his relationship with his first love, Narelle.

Additionally, Murray portrays his friend’s sense of discovery quite well, especially in one memorable scene where Bruce marvels at his first snowfall, crunching the powder between his hands. Scenes like this subtly portray the novelty in Bruce’s brave new world without yanking the viewer by the collar.

Throughout Bruce’s journey, Murray asks, "Is a person minus his memories still the same person?" but never offers an answer. While at times Murray’s film can feel maddeningly slippery and occasionally slow, it’s comforting to know that someone out there is making documentaries with a sense of perspective and a real, beating heart.

Bottom Line: "Unknown White Male" will be your ticket to peace of mind if you yearn to forget all those hyped-up schlockumentaries.