We started a movie the other night hoping for a sweet love story to ease us from hectic day to bedtime. From the first scene, we knew we were wrong. We were in for some intensity. We were right.

Remember Me is a movie about people, and how lives are forever changed by things in our control, as well as things very much out of our control. I hesitate to call it slow because it sounds like a bad thing, but in this case, the pacing is part of its brilliance. The acting and characterization are exceptional, creating people who are real and relatable. And it has one of the most effective and unpredictable endings I have ever seen. With the strength packed into a subtle delivery, it’s more than touching–it’s a full-on grab that will keep its hold for days. What a rare thing for a movie to leave me so stunned, sobered, and contemplative. And a bit traumatized. I feel like this movie has picked me up and moved me somewhere else. That’s a powerful thing.

If you read anything else about this movie you’ll rob yourself of its power. Don’t read the synopsis on Netflix or IMDB, and whatever you do, don’t read reviews. Turn it on, settle in, and lose yourself in it. Once you reach the end, you’ll be so found you’ll be speechless.