Blog #44 The Forgotten Movie Review

The Forgotten 2004¹

American science fiction psychological thriller film

Directed by Joseph Ruben

Written by Gerald Di Pego

Produced by Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, and Joe Roth

Cinematography Anastas N. Michos

Edited by Richard Francis-Bruce

Music by James Horner

Production companies Columbia Pictures and Revolution Studios

Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing

Release date September 24, 2004

Running time 91 minutes (original, 94 minutes (unrated cut)

Image 2 Julianne Moore as Dr. Harding in The Lost World

Country United States

Language English

Budget $42 million

Box office $117.6 million

Starring²

Julianne Moore plays Telly, Ms. Moore also played President Alma Coin in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2 2014,2015, Margaret White in Carrie 2013, Julian in Children of Men 2006, Allison in Evolution 2001, Sarah Harding in The Lost World: Jurassic Park 199.³

Dominic West plays Ash; Mr. West also played Inventor in The Girl With the Mechanical Maiden 2013, Sab Than in John Carter 2012, Palace Guard in Star Wars Episode 1, The Phantom Menace 1999.⁴

Christopher Kovaleski plays Sam. Mathew Pleszewicz plays Sam at 5.

Anthony Edwards played Jim, Mr. Edwards is famous for playing Mark Green in ER TV Series 1994-2009, Goose in Top Gun 1986, Inspector William Armstrong in Zodiac 2007, Gilbert in Revenge of the Nerds 1984.⁵

Gary Sinise plays Dr. Jack Munce; Mr. Sinise also played Jim McConnell in Mission to Mars 2000 and famously played Sargent Dan Taylor in Forest Gump 1994.⁶

Alfre Woodard played Anne Pope, Ms. Woodard also played Lily in Star Trek: First Contact 1996, Dr. Olsen in Space Odyssey 2022, Marian Dilley in Luke Cage TV series 2016-1018, Miriam in Captain America: Civil War 2016, Mrs. Whatsit in A Wrinkle in Time 2003, Stickley in The Core 2003, Dr. Claudia Villars in K-PAX 2001, Tamara O’Neill in Special Report: Journey to Mars 1996, Mrs. Marks in Aliens for Breakfast 1995.⁷

Linus Roache played A Friendly Man, Mr. Roache also played Purifier in The Chronicles of Riddick 2004, and Thomas Wayne in Batman Begins 2005.⁸

Story Synopsis

Image 6 Telly and Ash watching their children play

A mother, Telly, struggling with the death of her son, finds herself in a world where fewer and fewer details are remembered until finally no one remembers her son, Sam, ever existed. Her husband, Jim, and her psychiatrist, Dr. Munce, tell her she had a miscarriage. The baby was stillborn. Every detail about Sam Telly made up to cope with the loss. If she doesn’t calm down, they will have to put her in the hospital. Telly acquiesces and then runs out of the house to find the only other person, Ash that might be in this with her. Ash was the father of Lauren, another child that was on the plane that crashed with Sam. Ash resists, he has been drinking since it happened. Still, he remembers and then has heavy guilt that he forgot his daughter. The two, Telly and Ash go on the lamb chasing clues. Her psychiatrist and a police detective, named Anne Pope are the only ones trying to help them. At the climax the suspicions are confirmed and Telly fights ’til the end to keep her memories of Sam.

Positives

This movie is creepy, but I was right with Telly running to find answers, shaking up Ash to remember as she did, and seeing her husband Jim forget even about her. For me, holding onto her memories and finding an ally was what I needed to invest in the leading characters.

“The network cable versions have changed the plot by removing all mention of the children being involved in a plane crash. Instead, the children “died” in a bus crash.”⁹ The word airline was dubbed over with bus, and Quest Airline was changed to Quest in the newspaper props. These seemingly arbitrary plot changes can be perplexing. What was the significance of the plane issue? Could it be a reticence to remind viewers of 9/11?

The movie moves quickly as they miraculously escape the federal government (and possibly others) chasing them. The end is good even though another ending was added to the DVD (leftover footage?), but I didn’t see the point. Overall, the movie’s plot twists and turns leave the audience questioning and wanting to unravel the mystery.

Negatives

The complaints I found had to do with the preposterous way Telly, a book editor, and Ash, a former hockey star, ‘escape’ the trained agents and the mysterious entity following them, which inferred were ‘aliens’.¹⁰They seemed to overlook the fact that Telly and Ash had a lot more at stake than the pursuers, which gave them the edge, but the critics didn’t consider that was enough.

Conclusion

Image 8 Telly trying to get Ash to remember his daughter

The complaints I found had to do with the preposterous way Telly, a book editor, and Ash, a former hockey star, ‘escape’ the trained agents and the mysterious entity following them, which inferred were ‘aliens’.¹⁰The critics seemed to have a blind spot that Telly and Ash had more at stake than the pursuers. This gave them an edge, but the critics didn’t consider that was enough.

I like this movie; it moves me. As a viewer, I found myself emotionally invested in the characters’ journey, and their struggle to hold onto their memories and save their children resonated with me.

Places to Stream¹¹

Amazon Prime Video subscription

Apple TV+ $0.99

YouTube from $3.99

Google Play Movies from $3.99

Tubi TV free with ads

Sources

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forgotten_(2004_film)

2. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0356618/

3. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000194/?ref_=tt_cst_t_1

4. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0922035/?ref_=tt_cst_i_2

5. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000381/?ref_=tt_cst_t_5