Released on: 06 May 1994 • Rated: PG-13 • Runtime: 107 min
Genre: Comedy, Mystery
Director: Mick Jackson
Writer: Robert King
Actors: Dana Carvey, Valeria Golino, James Earl Jones
Plot: A private eye who suffers total amnesia every twenty-four hours is deeply entangled in a complicated murder and theft case.
Box Office Gross: $7,355,425
Awards: N/A
5.7/10
19%
65
58
2.7
N/A
Alright, folks, gather around because we’re about to dive headfirst into the deliriously silly world of Clean Slate. This 1994 gem stars Dana Carvey, the man who brought you Garth Algar in Wayne’s World, now stepping into the role of Pogue – no, not a canine sidekick, but a private investigator with a memory problem so severe, it makes Dory from Finding Nemo look like a steel trap.
So, here’s the skinny: Pogue suffers from a unique form of amnesia where every morning, his brain hits the reset button. That’s right – each new dawn, he wakes up with no memory of the day before. If you think this sounds like a recipe for disaster, you’d be right. Pogue’s life is a perpetual “who am I, what’s going on, and why is there a pigeon in my apartment?” And believe me, the pigeon is a recurring character that somehow steals scenes – a true feathered star.
The plot kicks off with Pogue waking up (again) and trying to piece together his life with the help of his trusty tape recorder and notes he leaves for himself. Picture a bootleg Memento, but with a lot more slapstick and way less existential dread. Pogue’s current case involves some stolen diamonds, a femme fatale, a mobster, and a lot of mistaken identities. He’s also got a court date coming up where he’s supposed to testify against said mobster – if only he could remember what the mobster looks like.
Dana Carvey as Maurice Pogue: Carvey’s performance is like watching a hyperactive golden retriever. His comedic timing is sharp, and he dives into the role with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Carvey’s Pogue is equal parts endearing and exasperating, bumbling through the plot with a mixture of cluelessness and pluck.
Valeria Golino as Sarah Novak: Sarah is the femme fatale with a heart of gold. Golino does her best with the material she’s given, balancing the act of being both Pogue’s love interest and a key player in the diamond heist plot. She’s sultry, mysterious, and has an uncanny ability to tolerate Pogue’s constant state of confusion.
James Earl Jones as John Dolby: Let’s just pause for a moment to appreciate James Earl Jones in this movie. The man who voiced Darth Vader and Mufasa plays Pogue’s friend and ally, a fellow PI who’s probably questioning his career choices every time Pogue stumbles into his office.
Kevin Pollak as Cornell: Pollak brings his usual snark to the role of Cornell, the antagonist with a perpetual smirk. He’s got a vested interest in keeping Pogue from testifying, which naturally involves a lot of hijinks and evil plotting.
The cinematography of Clean Slate is very much a product of its time – bright, colorful, and occasionally jarring. The camera work does its job of following Pogue’s misadventures, but don’t expect any groundbreaking shots or artistic flair. This is a film that knows it’s all about the gags and goofs.
The use of lighting is straightforward – no fancy shadows or deep symbolism here. Everything is lit like a sitcom set, keeping the mood light and the jokes rolling. The occasional foray into noir-ish shadows when Pogue tries to get serious is as short-lived as his memory.
The soundtrack of Clean Slate is a hodgepodge of jaunty tunes and suspenseful beats that try their best to underscore the comedic chaos. It’s not particularly memorable, but it does its job. Think of it as the musical equivalent of wallpaper – it’s there, it serves a purpose, and you probably won’t think about it much after the fact.
Oh, the cheese. This movie is a veritable fondue of 90s comedy tropes. From the slapstick humor to the endless puns about memory and forgetfulness, Clean Slate embraces its silliness with open arms. There’s a recurring gag involving Pogue’s attempts to jog his memory with ridiculous results – expect lots of post-it notes, tape recorders, and a sequence where he tries to hypnotize himself.
Clean Slate is not a film for the discerning cinephile seeking deep narratives or stunning visuals. It’s a goofy romp through the well-trodden territory of amnesia comedies, driven by Dana Carvey’s frenetic energy and a plot that’s more tangled than a ball of yarn in a kitten’s paws.
If you’re in the mood for some mindless fun and a healthy dose of 90s nostalgia, give Clean Slate a whirl. Just remember to lower your expectations, embrace the absurdity, and maybe keep a tape recorder handy – you might need it to remind yourself why you started watching in the first place.
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