(U-WIRE) MEDFORD, Mass. – As difficult as it may be to see the silver lining when a close friend suffers total amnesia, Rupert Murray, director of the new documentary “Unknown White Male,” has discovered the ideal way: Film it.

Doug Bruce, 37, awoke one morning on the New York subway without a clue as to his destination, let alone his own name. A combination of philosophical and scientific research and the actual film documentation of Bruce’s saga creates an anomaly among most films about friendship: an unromantic, no-frills account.

After a frustrating experience at the nearest hospital when the medical staff couldn’t find a single object alluding to Bruce’s identity, a Post-It in Doug’s possession with a name and phone number finally led him to a person who was finally able to identify him. Complete with a name, birth date, address and phone number, Bruce embarked on the journey of piecing together his three decades of lost history.

As soon as Murray, still living in London where the pair had met, heard the news of his friend’s amnesia, he phoned Bruce with the idea for the film. Coincidentally, Bruce had been documenting his first experiences on film and agreed to the proposition.

The film is extremely direct and informative, complete with interviews of Doug’s family and close friends and reputable doctors sprinkled throughout. The personal accounts are numerous, but although they evoke an emotional connection with the audience, more interviews with various medical and philosophical experts could have inspired more introspective effects.