MARY HIGGINS CLARK'S TRY TO REMEMBER

US, 2004, 85 minutes, Colour.
Gabrielle Anwar, Max Martini, Diego Wallraff, Gerald Lenton- Young.
Directed by Jeff Beesley.

Mary Higgins Clark's Try to Remember is one of many film versions of the popular novels by this author. They tend to be PG-rated murder mysteries. This one is no exception.

Gabrielle Anwar portrays a detective who returns to her home town fifteen years after her best friend was murdered. The accused is about to be released from prison. She meets up with various people in the town, especially her grandmother who welcomes her back, and her college friend, played by Max Martini, also a police officer. She has to work with the main officer at the time of the trial. He is old-school and clashes with her.

The film opens with the crime. Fifteen years later, with the investigation, it seems that the man accused had killed the girl he was with in a manslaughter incident rather than a murder. However, the various witnesses at the trial begin to be murdered off - and, while the expected killer is not whom the audience expects, they will not be surprised at the identity of the actual killer.

1.Mary Higgins Clark? Her novels? PG-rated? The film versions? Easy entertainment?

2.The settings, the town, the mall, the roads, the parking area? The contrast with fifteen years later, the police precincts, homes, the woods surrounding the town, the locations for the killings? The musical score?

3.The title, Lisa and her experience at the time of Jenny's death, her return? Trying to put the pieces together?

4.The initial crime, Jake Mitchell, Jenny and Lisa in the mall, Jenny willingly going off with him, the car breaking down, Mitchell giving her a lift, the sexual encounter, the warning from the security guard, the police? Her death? Mitchell and his trial, the witnesses, fifteen years?

5.Lisa, her subsequent career, training as a detective in Detroit, her return, working with Joe O'Connor, the criticisms of the senior policemen? Her investigations, going to see her grandmother, her grandmother's death? The security guard and his death? Going to see Benny at the garage, her suspicions? The cantankerous policeman and his death? Her going to see Jenny's father and the discussions, his welcoming her? The final putting the pieces together, going to see Jenny's father, the confrontation, his motivations? The rescue?

6.Jake Mitchell, his place in the town, on the edges? Jenny's death? Getting out, under suspicion, his being brought in? The interrogations? Lisa believing him? His being abducted, Fred Rand killing him?

7.The police, their work, new methods, old styles? The death of the older policeman?

8.The security guard, his collaboration, the flashbacks? His being murdered and hanging?

9.Fred Rand, the revelation of him as the killer? His wife with Alzheimer's not recovering? Wanting to blame Mitchell? Benny as the suspect? Rand and his confrontation with Lisa, blaming everybody for his daughter's death, including Lisa?

10.A satisfactory murder mystery?