7. Convenient Amnesia For The Sake Of the Plot
Yes, its a bit of a theme, but amnesia is the guilty pleasure of Hollywood. In this instance, Im talking about that that accident that just happens to wipe the memory of a pivotal moment in a characters life that just happens to come back at the best or worst possible moment (depending on what is required of the plot). I wouldnt state for a moment that this couldnt happen in real life, but in film (or television think Teris dragged out amnesia storyline in season 1 of 24), it happens an awful lot. Here are some examples of how amnesia is used to forced, or even insidious effect, in the movies.
Spider-Man 3: Harry Osborn is the Green Goblin 2! Except he is injured and forgets everything that led him to that path, until the moment the plot requires him to remember, forgive Peter Parker and join him in the desperate fight against the Sandman and Venom.
Overboard starring Goldie Hawn. A bump on the head results in socialite Joanna loosing her memory, which allows Kurt Russells Dean to exploit her by pretending she is his wife, just to allow her to looks after his kids and gain financial revenge on her for the lack of payment on the yacht she hired him to build. Really, this is a nasty, twisted revenge story, where a woman is exploited as the result of an accident, masking as a rom-com.
Regarding Henry has Harrison Fords Henry Turner being shot in the head during an armed robbery, conveniently allowing for a complete change in personality (that old chestnut again) from a narcissistic workaholic to a loving family man. Convenient. Of course, movies do get it right to.
Memento and
Finding Nemo being two examples that nail the depiction of amnesia on film. Its just a shame so many other films go so far off track