Top 10 Movie Characters with Memory Loss
Forgetting where they put their keys is the least of their problems. In this video, http://www.WatchMojo.com counts down our picks for the top 10 movie characters with memory loss.
For this list, we're taking a look at the most interesting or unique big screen characters who take forgetfulness to a whole different level. Whether through a bump on the head or part of some complicated covert manipulation, their inability to remember some pretty vital information concerning who they are or what they might've done leads to some pretty interesting viewing. And sorry, “Notebook” fans, but this means we're excluding slow natural degenerative conditions.
Special thanks to our users Daniel John, Ryan Martin, Williany Amill, elsafreezer and deathtouchtom for submitting the idea on our Suggestions Page at WatchMojo.comsuggest
Script written by Niki Neptune.
#10: Henry Turner
“Regarding Henry” (1991)
Harrison Ford plays a scumbag lawyer who survives getting shot in the head during a robbery attempt. He’s shot in the chest as well, and the amount of trauma his body incurs leads to brain damage. Henry pulls through, however, and when he wakes up, he’s a changed man. No longer the scumbag lawyer with shady ethics, he attempts to reconnect with his family, namely his daughter and his wife. He has no recollection of the horrible man he used to be, which works out well for his loved ones, but not so much for his law firm. It’s an emotional and thought-provoking role about second chances and realizing what’s important in life.
#9: Lucy Whitmore
“50 First Dates” (2004)
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In this slapstick romantic comedy, Adam Sandler struggles to answer the question: “Does it count as the friend zone if she doesn’t even remember who you are?” He plays a womanizer who gets bitten by the love bug when he falls for Lucy. Played by Drew Barrymore, she’s a young woman whose short-term memory loss keeps her thinking that it’s always October 13th, 2002. While Sandler’s character is completely smitten and will do anything to win her over, Lucy begins each new day with a clean slate. However, just because she can’t remember him doesn’t mean she doesn’t eventually fall in love with Sandler’s character, which makes her character, and the film, all the more sweet.
#8: The Wolf Pack
“The Hangover” (2009)
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After a particularly wild night in Vegas, three men wake up in a trashed hotel room and discover that one of their friends is missing. What’s worse is that none of them can recall what happened the previous evening. The men had assembled to celebrate their friend’s wedding but ended up having one of the wildest nights of their lives – and now, they’ve gotta deal with a stolen police cruiser, a baby in their closet, and a tiger in the bathroom. The result is a hilarious and outrageous ride to recover the groom and their memories. They came out to have a good time and…well, they did.
#7: Douglas Quaid / Carl Hauser
“Total Recall” (1990)
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What’s a guy to do when he wants to take a little vacation but doesn’t have the time? He gets the memory of the vacation implanted instead. Unfortunately for this “Total Recall” hero, it turns out that all kinds of memories have been implanted and removed and manipulated in his head already, including the fact that he’s a government agent. As Douglas Quaid struggles with his dual identity and the people attempting to kill him because of it, he must also save an entire colony on Mars from certain death. And it’s Arnie’s struggles to figure out what’s real and what’s just a false memory that make this much more than your average sci-fi action flick.
#6: Wolverine
“X-Men” franchise (2000-)
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He may not remember everything about how he got those adamantium claws, but he sure knows how to put them to good use. Part of what adds to this mutant’s mystique is that the last fifteen years of his life are a blank. Wolverine’s gruff, a loner and an anti-hero. Meanwhile, his exceptional healing abilities kept him alive when his skeleton was fused with metal. In spite of the fact that he doesn’t know too much about himself, this member of the X-Men still turns out to be a good guy. And that’s just one of the many reasons we love him.
#5: Samantha Caine / Charlene Elizabeth Baltimore
“The Long Kiss Goodnight” (1996)
In “The Long Kiss Goodnight,” Geena Davis plays a schoolteacher and mom with no memory of her dark past. She knows something’s not 100% legit with her life though, as she mysteriously washed ashore on a beach 8 years ago. So she hires a private investigator, played by Samuel L. Jackson, to dig into her background and figure out her identity. Together, they discover that she was a highly skilled CIA assassin named Charly Baltimore, whose last job was left unfinished. It’s an action-packed and thrilling journey that pales in comparison to Samantha Caine’s previous life.
#4: Joel Barish & Clementine Kruczynski
“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004)
Break-ups can be really hard, especially if you’re struggling to get over your ex. Thankfully for the two characters in this romantic sci-fi fantasy, there’s a solution to their endless heartache: they can have all memories of each other erased. It’s a drastic move though, and one that doesn’t go over so easily as Jim Carrey’s character has a subconscious that’s not ready to move on just yet. Clementine seems to’ve undergone the procedure without issue, but things aren’t always what they seem… and it’s the pair’s emotional and romantic journey that makes these characters so enthralling.
#3: Dr. Anthony Edwardes / John Ballantyne
“Spellbound” (1945)
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An Alfred Hitchcock classic, this psychological thriller stars Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck as a pair of physicians looking to solve a murder-slash-identity mystery. Peck plays a man who can’t remember his true identity, and has assumed that of a doctor named Anthony Edwardes who believes the real man with the same name has been killed. Bergman is a psychoanalyst who doesn’t believe he was responsible for Edwardes’ murder, and the two utilize methods of psychotherapy to uncover the truth. He’s an amnesiac who dreams in Salvador Dali Technicolor, and those wacky dream sequences kept us all under their spell.
#2: Jason Bourne
"Bourne" franchise (2002-07)
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An entire film franchise was built on the premise of a title character who couldn’t remember who he was. And while Jason Bourne may’ve lost his memory, he’s still managed to retain some pretty lethal skills. Playing the highly skilled CIA operative who doesn’t remember he’s a highly skilled CIA operative, Matt Damon-as-Jason-Bourne’s training keeps him alive while he searches to uncover his identity. This comes in very handy when he finds himself going up against multiple government agencies intent on killing him – and makes for a fast-paced and entertaining thriller all the way through.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
- Chris Pratt
“The Lookout” (2007)
- John Murdoch
“Dark City” (1998)
- Spock
“Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” (1984)
- Dave Aames
“Vanilla Sky” (2001)
#1: Leonard Shelby
“Memento” (2000)
Back before camera phones could document our every moment, Polaroids and body tattoos seemed like a good way to keep track of things. In this complex neo-noir from Christopher Nolan, Guy Pearce plays a guy trying to figure out who killed his wife. His investigation is complicated by the fact that he has severe amnesia and can’t seem to remember things for more than a few hours. His accuracy is only as good as the clues he’s left himself, which isn’t saying much, and that’s what makes his character – and “Memento” – so intriguing.
Do you agree with our list? Who is your favorite movie character with memory loss? For more entertaining Top 10s published every day, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.
