Dir. Rupert Murray, 2005, US/UK, 89 mins
Cast: Doug Bruce (as himself)
Review Zeb Lamb
On July 2nd 2002 Englishman Doug Bruce woke up on a New York subway train with a rare form of amnesia. With no memory of who he was - and no ID on his person - the hospital staff dubbed him UNKNOWN WHITE MALE. A scrap of paper with a name and number on it was the only clue he could find amongst his possessions. No ones knows exactly what happened to Bruce, who still knew how to write his signature but could not remember any of the people or places he knew before the accident.
The film follows Bruce as he rediscovers his life and the world around him, with the help of close friends and family. Before the accident Bruce was a London based stockbroker; a successful businessman who ‘retired’ at the age of 30 and relocated to New York to pursue his passion for photography. Now Bruce finds himself in a confusing and uncertain world. Perhaps sensing the uniqueness of his situation Bruce takes to filming his experiences. We watch as he negotiates the ordinary and everyday with a sense of wonderment; sampling ‘new’ foods, seeing snow for the ‘first time’, and so on. Bruce’s experience of getting to know the world around him through the eyes of a child, without the baggage of 30 years of life’s ups and downs, presents something of a golden opportunity. Indeed, he seems happy enough to start over and, although he’s keen to meet his family, he doesn’t ask about his own formative years and how they may have shaped him.
After a slow start, the film gains momentum as we follow Bruce back to London, where he is re-introduced to his childhood friends. Despite the awkwardness of seeing an old mate who can’t remember a thing about them, his gang of friends are genuinely supportive and patient. Tellingly, one can’t help notice their disappointment that Bruce lacks the cynicism and sense-of-humour that he apparently possessed before the accident. Nevertheless, they agree that the post-amnesiac Bruce is a more sedate and philosophic individual. His photography is different too and seems much improved, focusing, unsurprisingly, on the theme of identity and self.
Unknown White Male is an interesting documentary feature, with strong visuals and a unique storyline. Director Murray deftly blends footage from various sources together and the piece does present some very intriguing questions. However, the impact of these questions is dampened by Doug Bruce’s lack of enthusiasm and charisma. Given that Bruce doesn’t even seem that interested in discovering his own past and identity, it’s not surprising that Murray fails to draw his audience into his subject’s story.
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