This psychological thriller you've (probably) never seen has a stunning twist — and you can stream it now

Jared Harris as John in "Reawakening" (2024). — (Image credit: Level 33 Entertainment)

Chances are, you've never seen "Reawakening." It's pretty rare that a movie never makes it to streaming, but it's not impossible. Even with notable actors attached, an indie film can languish for a while before finally being available to watch at home.

That's exactly what happened to this psychological thriller. Despite a cast that includes Jared Harris ("Chernobyl," "Foundation"), Erin Doherty ("Adolescence") and Juliet Stevenson ("Truly, Madly, Deeply"), it's now been nearly two years since its debut at the Dublin International Film Festival.

What is ‘Reawakening’ about?

"Reawakening" stars Harris and Stevenson as John and Mary. The movie opens with the reveal that Clare (Doherty), their daughter, has been missing since she was 14. Now, 10 years later, these two are still looking for Clare, though without much expectation.

Reawakening - YouTube

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The movie starts with John and Mary at a press conference with a new Detective Inspector, who thinks he can finally make some progress in their case. And he does — because suddenly Clare has arrived on their doorstep, 10 years older.

Or has she? Mary is ready to have Clare back in their life, but John remains unconvinced that this is their daughter. Complicating things, Mary is hesitant to go to the police with this new revelation, even though they're still looking for Clare.

'Reawakening' is a mixed bag, but in the end it manages to be a provoking drama

(L-R) Juliet Stevenson and Erin Doherty as Mary and Clare in "Reawakening" (2024). — (Image credit: Level 33 Entertainment)

Having seen all 90 minutes of "Reawakening," I'm unsure if it's truly a psychological thriller. It's definitely got the psychological part down; this movie is, if nothing else, an incredible thought experiment brought to life. But it's slow-moving, particularly in the movie's first act, to the point where I was checking my watch.

But as this movie approached its stunning conclusion, I stopped checking my watch. Instead, I started thinking about all the questions this movie presented. Could John and Mary's relationship handle Clare being back in their life? Could it survive John being convinced that this "Clare" is a fraud, while Mary is convinced it's their daughter? And, perhaps the most shocking question of all, does it even matter if this Clare is the real Clare, if everyone ends up happy to be in each other's lives?

So, perhaps it's not a thriller, but "Reawakening" is certainly a thought-provoking drama, and I can't stop thinking about it. Would I advocate you pay hard-earned cash to stream it? Perhaps not. While it manages to stick in my mind, the first 30-40 minutes are sluggish, and it's not the best performance of any of these talented actors' careers. If you really like a movie that gets you thinking, then "Reawakening" could be worth the $5.99 it costs to rent. If you have some gift cards to use, even better. But I'd probably recommend waiting for it to one day hit one of the best streaming video on demand services (Netflix, Prime Video, etc.), instead of spending the money to rent it.

Buy or rent "Reawakening" from YouTube, Fandango at Home, Amazon or Apple TV (availability varies by region)

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Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.

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