Movies that linger with you

I watched a DVD last night with the manpanion that I'd never heard of before--it's called Youth Without Youth (it came out in 2007 and was directed by Francis Ford Coppola). It stars Tim Roth.

In it, Roth plays a 70-year-old linguistics genius who is struck by lightning in 1938...which burns him all over and almost kills him, but mysteriously makes him back to being a man who remains perpetually aged 40. But along with this gift comes a bit of a curse--he ends up having a double in him that seems pretty malicious and self-focused/obsessed.

The guy struggles throughout the decades that pass to finish his life's work, a massive volume on the origins of language. But he also struggles with his lost love, the fiancee who broke up with him due to his obsession with his work...and who remarried, but died in childbirth.

She appears again in the 50's in a new reincarnation. But she is afflicted with another personality in her, one that is regressing back through time.

Of course, the guy is drawn to her because of who she is and because of her other, hidden self...but the more he encourages her regression (and records them so he can study them for his life's work), the most she withers away and ages prematurely. So he has to decide what he should do--let her go so she can live, or keep pushing so he can finish his work.

Gripping movie. Very unusual. I've never seen one like it. It was heartbreaking, seeing him struggle with this double side of himself, with his feelings for the reincarnation of the woman he loved, and grows to love again...and then fight with what the right thing is to do.

The movie has lingered with me. The images and setting were beautifully shot. I was really drawn into it. I keep thinking about it, about the thematic oddness of the roses and ancient languages and reincarnation. Truly, it was a love story, and I was gripped. It's unusual, and it doesn't have the requisite "happy ending" that a romance would, but I still recommend it.

Have you seen a movie that's lingered with you? Tell me about it--I always like getting interesting movie recommendations!