BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP
Riveting suspense with moral weight—for discerning adults only.
Should You Watch It?
If you want a genuinely suspenseful thriller with an emotionally powerful finish, this one delivers. Nicole Kidman’s Christine wakes each morning with almost total amnesia, unsure whom to trust as she pieces together the truth about her injuries, her marriage, and her past.
The movie also has a strong moral center. It ultimately extols motherhood and promotes good over evil, and its final scene leaves viewers with a deeply satisfying, uplifting feeling. The cost is serious adult content: several profanities, intense but brief violence, rear nudity, and references to adultery.
So, discerning adults may find it worth the trip, but it is not appropriate for children or young teens.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESChristine wakes beside a man she does not recognize—her husband, Ben—and learns that she has severe short-term memory loss. Each day, she must begin again.
A neuropsychologist secretly helps her record a video diary and recover pieces of her past. As Christine discovers that important facts have been withheld from her, she begins questioning everyone around her, including her husband, her doctor, and a close friend.
Is It Any Good?
Four stars means this is an exceptionally effective thriller. It works as a suspenseful psychological mystery and as an emotional story about Christine rediscovering her connection to her son.
The cast, led by Nicole Kidman, is praised, as is director Rowan Joffe. The movie builds to an exciting climax and delivers one of the best final scenes of the year. One strange shot makes an important discovery look unintentionally obvious and briefly invites derisive laughter, but the film quickly recovers and reaches a really satisfying ending.
The Worldview
The movie presents a strong moral, pro-family worldview. It powerfully extols motherhood and ultimately promotes good over evil. Christine’s emotional journey centers on recovering her connection to her son, giving the story a moving sense of family love and responsibility.
At the same time, the film includes adultery references, deceitful behavior, and morally compromised choices. Its treatment of the psychiatrist is more commendable: when he recognizes the danger of developing feelings for his married patient, he acts professionally and ends her treatment with him.
The film’s moral vision is strongest when it portrays motherhood as precious and evil as something to resist. Scripture gives that central conflict a clear command: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Strong moral, pro-family worldview overall extols motherhood and good over evil, but with some adultery references and deceitful behaviors; nine profanities (including five “f” words), one Jesus profanity and four light exclamatory profanities; some strong, intense violence with blood includes images of an attack with blood, man tries to drag woman back into hotel room twice, woman has bloody cuts on face and bare limbs, man slaps woman hard, man grabs distraught woman and gives her a sedative of some kind, people hit with objects during fight, man tries to strangle woman; implied sex between married couple, references to past adultery, psychiatrist almost kisses his married female patient but stops his treatment of her to prevent any further such unethical behavior, married woman wants to end illicit affair, but the man tries to stop her and gets violent; shot of rear female nudity when woman walks around naked in her bedroom and bathroom in a scene that seems a little bit more than just naturalistic nudity; brief alcohol use; no smoking or illegal drugs; and, lying and deceit but somewhat rebuked and talk about how husband left head-injured wife because the memory loss resulting from her injuries began to negatively affect their young son.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
Christine must decide whom to trust when people have withheld the truth from her. How should Christians respond when honesty is difficult or costly?
Ephesians 4:25 · Proverbs 12:22The film’s strongest emotional theme is Christine’s connection to her son. What responsibilities do parents have toward children who depend on them?
Ephesians 6:4 · Psalm 127:3The story contrasts good and evil. What does it mean to overcome evil with good in a situation where someone has wronged you?
Romans 12:21 · Matthew 5:44The psychiatrist recognizes that his feelings could lead him to act unethically. Why do boundaries matter in relationships involving trust and vulnerability?
1 Thessalonians 5:22 · Philippians 2:3–4The Final Word
This is a riveting, well-acted thriller with a powerful ending and a strong moral center. Its adult content is substantial, so children and young teens should stay away. For discerning adults, the answer is WORTH THE TRIP — ADULTS ONLY. For a gentler family movie night, see.
