It seems that Hollywood is taking notice of the increasing reality of dementia, as beloved actors like Michael Keaton and now Russell Crowe find themselves depicting characters succumb to this afflictive condition. In the incoming film, "Sleeping Dogs", Crowe takes the role of Roy Freeman, a former homicide detective, who due to his declining mental state, has been forced to leave reminders and notes throughout his apartment.
As Freeman, Crowe embodies an ex-officer living a sad and simple existence, symbolized not only by the notes scattered in his home but also by the stack of frozen dinners in his freezer. After undergoing a medical procedure meant to potentially halt his mental deterioration, he is encouraged by his doctor to stimulate his mind through activities such as assembling jigsaws.
His cognitive exercise takes a dramatic turn when he is approached by an advocacy group for death row prisoners about a condemned man, who is due to be executed for a murder incident Freeman had investigated a decade earlier. Eager to bring clarity to the case, Freeman takes on this puzzle much more engaging than his jigsaws, despite his life's complications, including a drunk-driving conviction which had resulted in his parting from the police force.
Muddled with subplots, the film soon navigates through a memoir from a former assistant to the deceased, a romantic entanglement involving one of the professor’s students, and the unravelling of Freeman's personal life. This narrative complexity, coupled with the film’s lethargic pacing, may leave audiences perplexed and possibly sharing in Freeman's confusion.
While experimental directorial techniques attempt to reflect the protagonist's deteriorating mental state, they instead add to the sluggish pacing of the film. The casting, including Karen Gillan’s less than convincing performance, doesn't provide much relief, with the only redeeming factor appearing in Russell Crowe’s captivating screen presence.
Despite the familiar plot device of memory loss, the film fails to deliver the expected shock value of its twists, leaving "Sleeping Dogs" an arduous puzzle of dementia and intrigue.
