Before I Go to Sleep 2014

As Christine Lucas (Christine) slowly regains consciousness beside a stranger she doesn’t recognize, her world is turned upside down by his revelation that he is her husband, Ben, and that she has been in a vegetative state for fourteen years following a devastating car accident. The fog of amnesia that shrouds her memories of the past two decades begins to lift, but with it comes a sense of disorientation and disconnection from her life.

Christine’s journey towards recovery is guided by Mike Nasch (Mike), a compassionate neuropsychologist who becomes her confidant and advocate. He gifts her a camera to record her thoughts, progress, and emotions each day, instructing her to keep it hidden from Ben while they monitor her development. As Christine’s treatment unfolds, she starts to recall snippets of her past, including the enigmatic figure of Claire, a red-haired woman whose presence in her life is shrouded in mystery.

Ben’s evasive responses regarding Christine’s condition only fuel her growing suspicions that he is concealing something significant from her. The revelation that she has a son, Adam, who tragically passed away at the age of eight, sends Christine into a tailspin of grief and anger towards Ben. Her memories continue to resurface, including the name Mike, which she believes may be linked to her attacker.

As the truth begins to unravel, Christine discovers that Ben had abandoned her in an assisted care facility years prior, only to later bring her home when he experienced a change of heart. The complexity of their relationship is further complicated by the revelation that Claire had been trying to contact her during her time at the care facility. With this newfound information, Christine takes control and tracks down Claire’s phone number, leading to a poignant encounter with her former acquaintance.

Through Claire’s eyes, Christine learns that she was having an affair prior to the attack, while Ben and Claire shared a moment of grief-driven intimacy in its aftermath. This bombshell challenges Christine’s understanding of her past and forces her to re-examine her relationships with those around her, including her husband and her own identity.

Here’s a rephrased version of the section:

As Claire hands Christine a letter penned by Ben, a poignant request lingers in the air - that it be delivered to Christine only if she were strong enough to confront its truth. The words on the page reveal Ben’s confession: he left her because he was afraid of her, driven by an overwhelming love that could no longer coexist with his own well-being. Christine’s eyes are drawn to the digital camera, and as she plays back the videos she’s created, a spark of recognition flickers within her. However, Ben’s sudden accusation, fueled by jealousy, shatters the momentary connection - he attacks her, then storms out, leaving Christine reeling.

Later, Claire calls from afar, imparting devastating news: Ben claims not to have seen Christine in years. The revelation sends shockwaves through Christine’s fragile psyche as she begins to grasp that the man she thought was Ben is merely a cruel imposter. As she attempts to escape his clutches, her would-be captor renders her unconscious.

The next morning brings Christine back to life, only to find herself entangled in a web of deceit and manipulation. The camera’s digital archive holds secrets of its own, revealing Christine’s declarations of love for “Ben” and her yearning to build a life together. Her tormentor - or rather, Mike - summons her to pack for a journey that night, then visits Nasch with a stern warning: stay away from Christine.

As the darkness lifts, Christine finds herself at a hotel, where Mike’s true identity is finally revealed: he is the man she had an affair with, whose brutal attack left her with amnesia. The videos on her camera are deleted, and Mike renounces his role as Ben, instead issuing an ultimatum: together they shall live, or neither of them shall. A fierce struggle ensues, but Christine manages to break free.

Seizing the moment, she activates the hotel’s fire alarm and flees, capturing her harrowing tale on camera while waiting for an ambulance to arrive. The cycle of trauma finally broken, Christine is whisked away to a hospital bed, where Nasch - now transformed from therapist to friend - greets her with words of comfort. As she begins to regain her memories, the real Ben and Adam appear at her bedside, restoring hope and a sense of identity that had long been lost.