Blog #70 The Forgotten Movie Review

The Forgotten

SciFi, Suspense

Directed by Joseph Ruben

Written by Gerald Di Pego

Bruce Cohen

Produced by Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks, and Joe Roth

Starring

Image 2 Julianne Moore as President Alma Coin

Julianne Moore plays Telly. Ms. Moore also played President Alma Coin in Mockingjay: Part 1 2014 and Part 2 2017, Julian in Children of Men 2006, Alison in Evolution 2001, and Sarah Harding in The Lost World: Jurassic Park: 1997.

Dominic West plays Ash. Mr. West also played Inventor in The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden 2013, and Sab Kahn in Jon Carter 2012.

Gary Sinise- plays Dr. Jack Munce. Mr. Sinise also played Jim McConnel in Mission to Mars 2000, and Ken Mattingly in Apollo 13 1995.

Alfre Woodard- plays Anne Pope. Ms. Woodard also played Dr. Olsen in Space Oddity 2022, Paris in See 2019=2022 Tv Series on Apple TV, Mariah Dillard in Luke Cage 2016-2018 TV series, Mrs. Whatsit in A Wrinkle in Time 2003, Stickley in The Core 2003, Dr. Claudia Villars in K-PAX 2001, Lily in Star Trek:First Contact 1996, Tamara O’neil in Special Report: Journey to Mars 1996, and Mrs. Marks in Aliens for Breakfast TV Movie 1995.

Linus Roache plays A Friendly Man. Mr. Roache also played Malik in The Dresden Sun 2026, Charles Lynden in Division 19 2017, and Purifier in The Chronicles of Riddick 2004,

Anthony Edwards – plays Jim.

Christopher Kovaleski– plays Sam.

Katherine Faughnan– plays Lauren.

Cinematography Anastas N. Michos

Edited by Richard Francis-Bruce

Music by James Horner

Production cokmpanies Columbia Pictures

Revolution Studios

Distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing

Release Date September 24, 2004

Running time 91 minutes (original)

94 minutes (unrated cut)

Country United States

Language English

Budget $42 million

Box office $117.6 million

Synopsis

Image 7 Ash remembers his daughter, Lauren

The story of a woman, Telly, who is grieving the loss of her son, Sam. But wait- did it all really happen? One by one, the mementos disappear, and next, the memories of Sam in those around her are gone. Is she crazy? This escalates, and it looks like her husband and her psychiatrist will put her in the hospital. Telly runs and seeks out a man, Ash, whose daughter was on the same plane as Sam. He doesn’t remember the daughter, Sam, or the crash. But something is odd about Ash. He is now a washed-out man; he drinks a lot, and that started at the same time as the plane crash. Our heroine pushes, and Ash calls the police for ripping up Ash’s study wallpaper. He remembers his daughter as he looks at the child’s drawings on the now-revealed wall and says her name aloud: LAUREN. Telly had suggested it because that was what she did each day, saying “SAM.” Ash runs to the cops and finds out the NSA took Telly, another strange event. Now things turn around, and Ash helps Telly escape, and the two are on the run, figuring it all out as they go. Now we are on Telly’s side, no more doubts, but a lot more danger. Will they find out what happened to their children, or will they be erased?

Image 8 Telly’s ritual of remembering Sam, her son

Conclusions

At first, Telly seems screwed up, but meeting Ash turns that around, and the hunt intensifies on both sides. I enjoyed the characters—the cop, the psychiatrist trying to insert himself into the case, Telly’s husband, the bad guy, and the children—all excellent. Well-written mystery that unravels bit by bit.