The Forgotten Movie
Storyline
TAGLINES
You'll Never Forget The Ones You Love
On September 24th everything you've experienced, everything you've known, never happened.
Remember
On September 24th, you will be forgotten.
Nothing can prepare you.
Was ist, wenn alles, was du je erlebt hast - alles was du kennst, nie geschehen ist? (What if everything you've ever experienced - everything you know, has never happened?)
A grieving mother, Telly Paretta, is struggling to cope with the loss of her 9-year-old son. She is stunned when her psychiatrist and her husband tell her that she has created eight years of memories of a son she never had. But when she meets the father of one of her son's friend who is having the same experience, Telly embarks on a mission to prove her son's existence and her sanity.
| Gary Sinise | Dr. Jack Munce |
| Julianne Moore | Telly Paretta |
| Christopher Kovaleski | Sam |
| Anthony Edwards | Jim Paretta |
| Jessica Hecht | Eliot |
| Linus Roache | A Friendly Man |
| Matthew Pleszewicz | Sam at 5 |
| Dominic West | Ash Correll |
| Katie Cooper | Library Clerk |
| P.J. Morrison | Cop |
| Robert Wisdom | Carl Dayton |
| Tim Kang | Agent Alec Wong |
| Kathryn Faughnan | Lauren Correll |
| Alfre Woodard | Det. Anne Pope |
| Joseph Ruben |
5.80 out of 10 (18798 votes)
Visitor Reviews
An amusing but forgettable thriller
posted on 28 Aug 2009Sure, THE FORGOTTEN may be a good mystery, but it's only good now. It's one of those popcorn flicks that are fun in theaters (remember, I said fun, not a masterpiece). Starring Julianne Moore. The story follows a mother named Telli whose son has died. Suddenly, it's as if her son never existed, for example, he disappears from all of his photographs, and she is the only one who remembers him, so she is automatically branded insane. Among the other children who died on the plane crash (who were all friends of the son, Sam) all of the parents do not seem to remember until Telli proves it to a girl's father. Both of them are on the run from the police and a strange enemy, and time is running out for them to find out the mystery of their missing children. If you want to follow MY advice, see this one in theaters or rent it, but it's not as good as to buy.Grade: 7/10MPAA Rating: PG-13My Rating: Ages 12 and up (mature situations, terror, violence, brief language)
Surprising Movie
posted on 28 Aug 2009Great twists and turns in this movie, so much so that I don't want to mention very much, except the initial premise that Julian Moore has been grieving for years about her lost son, and suddenly her husband, her doctor - everyone - has no memory of her son, they act is if Julianne has lost her mind.There are 2 interpretations to this film, one being the unthinkable events as presented, the other being that our heroin played by Julianne Moore is actually lost in a world of delusions. Similar to Total Recall, I would buy into the "its all in your head" theory, which of course allows for any plot device that works well, and explains away all inconsistencies. I think the clinical symtpoms of schizophrenia are there. But I wouldn't doubt that these type movies are constructed purposefully to allow dual interpretations.The Forgotten has some good action, some good mystery; it is excellent Twiglight Zone material. But it really works best if you don't know already how the story unfolds.
Original, incomparable - that is not a compliment
posted on 26 Aug 2009It burns me when I read critics compare THE FORGOTTEN to a movie like "The Sixth Sense." The only thing the two have in common is the suspense genre, and only the latter succeeds in fulfilling that label.The only thing THE FORGOTTEN has going for it is its trailer because the film is a huge letdown. Getting to the core of this film takes and eternity and when you get there you feel shortchanged.Since we're dealing with aliens (gee, did I actually spoil something?) I would have found it more gratifying if there were more story around that side, but this screenplay only has Julianne Moore running, dodging and weaving an inexplicable yarn of nonsense.What a disappointment!
The less you know the better
posted on 26 Aug 2009Its going to be almost impossible to discuss this movie without going into spoilers. Several reviewers went so far as to say that before going into lengthy spoiler filler deconstructions.I'm not going to be so callous. I will not discuss the plot except it begins with a mother grieving over the loss of her son. Where it goes from there is up to you to discover.For me its a mostly compelling film, however there are enough internal bumps to make me like it less than I could. Its far from perfect and it thinks itself as being clever, which got on my nerves because it isn't that clever. It's entertaining while its on but its not a movie to bring home and keep.7 out of 10
the death of writing in the film industry
posted on 26 Aug 2009By this time most everyone knows the basic story of this film: Julianne Moore's character obsessively mourns the loss of her young son, but was there ever a son at all? According to many around her, the answer is no. Is she nuts, or is there something darker at work?The film starts with all the conventions of suspenseful and possibly horror-genre storytelling in place, and moves along at an absorbing pace. And then there is an unexpected twist. Not the kind of twist you think, the kind embedded in the story itself. The real twist-shocker is that the movie suddenly takes a preposterous, incoherent, far-fetched turn, one which is tacked onto the story as if it (the ridiculous turn) came from an entirely different movie. To convey a sense of how appallingly badly this film is written, imagine the following hypothetical film: a group of men plans a bank robbery, which is successfully carried off. But after the heist the money is discovered to have disappeared, and the task now is to identify the robber who has hidden the dough for himself. Like all movies nowadays, we wait for the "twist." It turns out that on a shelf of one of the robber's apartment is a small decorative bottle given to him years ago by a now-deceased aunt. Unbeknownst to him, the bottle contains a genii, who emerges every 10 years and perpetrates mischief. The twist is that the genii took the money!! But of course none of the robbers suspects this, as the tension builds among them. The twist in The Forgotten is precisely as mind-bogglingly idiotic as the hypothetical one above. The lesson to be learned here is one we have been taught countless times in the past, but never so directly, bluntly and brutally: there are no good film writers any more. The art of writing is dead. The construction of a simple, direct, compelling and smart little scenario is apparently now a dinosaur art. The very few exceptions prove this rule. I am still recovering from the blow this "movie" dealt to my sensibilities. Write a letter to the producers, to Moore, to anyone connected to this piece of dreck and ask "What were you thinking?"
A Well-Scripted and Effective Psychological Thriller!
posted on 22 Aug 2009At the heart of "The Forgotten" is a concerned mother named Telly Pareta in a sensitive performance by Julianne Moore. While Telly believes that her young son Sam was killed in a plane crash, her husband Jim (Anthony Edwards) and her psychiatrist Dr. Munce (Gary Sinese) believe that she is deluded and that Telly does not even have a child. The well-crafted story moves into the area of the paranormal with the possibility of alien abduction and a master plan of mind control over the human victims.Joseph Ruben provided a dynamic directorial style with fascinating camera angles and breathtaking cinematography of New York City. The aerial shots were especially effective given the possibility of alien interference and observation of the humans below.Much of the film involves lively action sequences. The pace accelerates when Telly finds a sympathetic neighbor named Ash (Dominic West), who believes that his child may also have been abducted and that he too is a victim of the mind control. Director Ruben conceived many dynamic chase scenes in interesting locales in New York. But it was somewhat disconcerting to the viewer that after the long sprints and marathon runs, the characters never seemed to be out of breath! Still, the story unfolded in a riveting manner with the mysteries revealed in the final portion of the film.Beyond the merits of a good action yarn, "The Forgotten" offers a good message about the enduring values of a mother's love for her child. Telly's character trusts her instincts and follows the dictates of her heart. In this film, love not only conquers all within the terrestrial realm, it also has the potential to conquer aliens!
Watch it on DVD with the Director's Alternative Ending
posted on 22 Aug 2009Earlier comments about the movie are all too true - the theatrical version of the film has a terrible ending. If we are just considering it, I'd give it 6/10.I first saw this movie on DVD - selecting the Director's alternative ending option. This gave a very serviceable ending. When I subsequently watched the theatrical ending I was appalled at the crassness of it - I would have given the movie a much lower mark - like so many others in this forum have done.If you haven't seen the movie - get the DVD - select the Director's End - and you will have a very enjoyable experience ahead of you. The car crash scene is excellent - I jumped out of my seat when it happened!!!!
Surprising!
posted on 21 Aug 2009I've read some of the reviews and am surprised that some people had questions or were confused. I loved the movie and followed it from beginning to end. Just because the movie doesn't say, "Aliens are working behind the scenes," they do strongly imply it leaving you with no other conclusion. The strange man who is seen throughout the movie isn't Robert Patrick from Terminator, but he does a great job. In the end, he changes to reveal his true identity and purpose when he's angered.
They also identified the NSA as the agency who is chasing the couple. The detective asked why the NSA was working on a missing persons case. She stated that the NSA doesn't handle missing persons cases. They also showed the badge of the captured agent in the cabin before he was taken.
If you like "X-Files," and if you pay attention to what's going on, I think that you'll enjoy "The Forgotten." When the DVD comes out, I'm buying a copy.
Psychotic women and the men, who love them.
posted on 21 Aug 2009I think everyone will agree that if this was an X-Files episode FOX would have proceeded it with the announcement that "all of our questions would be answered". Then, upon watching this episode, we would realize that not all of our questions were answered, but instead left on the table to allow us to figure out ourselves or not at all. That was a huge downfall for The Forgotten that really irritated me throughout the picture. Here we had the gorgeous concept of abduction, a mother's ability never to forget the child she lost, and this enormous possibility of government conspiracies, but it literally went nowhere. Throughout the film new concepts, new ideas, and possibilities that seem endless constantly attack us, but we are given no explanation. That is what bothered me the most. We had the framework for a very decent little sci-fi thriller, but instead director Joseph Ruben decided to go with a familiar story that would appeal to a non-intelligent audience instead of a crisp thriller that could have really bent your mind. I wanted my mind to wrap around this film, but instead I think my mind fell asleep.
Julianne Moore did a decent job in this film, but perhaps gave a bit too much emotion behind her character. If she wasn't crying than she was screaming or running. I wanted to see the strength of this woman and her perseverance to find her missing child, not this emotional nutcase that has a reaction to everything that happens to her. I know that Moore can do a very emotionally heavy film, but I didn't think that this project needed her to be at such a top level. Perhaps that is what was wrong with this film. The focus was completely off. Here we are focusing on the emotional struggle that Moore is going through, when we really should be trying to uncover the truth behind the disappearance. There was nearly no attempt to find out the truth. For some strange reason, I remember feeling like the honest truth was difficult for our actors to say. I felt as if they were forced into this side event that would stop Moore from being so emotional. Or, perhaps, nobody really knew what the truth was. Here we had this huge surprise Shyamalan-esque styled ending, but I never really felt as if the actors were on the same page. I could hear Ruben gasping from excitement in the background, but Sinise, West, and even Woodard seemed less surprised by it all.
I think that this film didn't do as well as hoped because the lines between what type of genre this was were skewed. Was it a sci-fi? People flying up into the air just doesn't quite do it enough for me (kinda felt like a cheap way of explaining things). Was Moore really just imagining all of this? Yet another question that needed a definite answer by the end because there were so many other elements happening that a direct answer would have only strengthened the entire film. Did anyone really care why the child was abducted? It seemed a bit flimsy to me, but again, I am no mother. I needed something, perhaps others did not, but there were these huge gaping plot holes in the film that needed to be filled somehow, but apparently the repairman couldn't make it to the set. We just jumped from moment to moment without any further explanation or reasoning. I cannot express this enough. That is the ultimate downfall for this film, the utter lack of coherence and connection between everything. I felt like I was watching a connect-the-dots that followed no order and the performers just went where ever they wanted instead of going from point A to point B.
I think I have gone a bit sidetracked here, but when I think of this film, I just cannot put everything together. I don't need something handed to me on a silver platter, in fact, I love movies that make me ponder the truth. The sad part about The Forgotten is that I nearly forgot why I was watching it midway through the film. I was connected to nothing and the unanswered questions that only broadened the scope of the film into this massive ordeal that nobody, from the director to the actors could handle.
I would also like to comment on the DVD itself of this film. For me, the theatrical version was much better than the extended version. I have heard others say that they would prefer to watch the extended because it gives us a better answer to the end (and I won't get into unanswered questions again), but for me the original ending was a hair better. Perhaps it is because I watched the extended first and it gave me such a sour taste in my mouth that the original might have just helped dissipate that sour sensation. Either way, that is my two cents.
Overall, I thought this was nothing more than just your standard issue sci-fi thriller that could have been pushed into the category of interesting or creative if it wasn't so clichéd ridden with this overwhelming desire to be "secretive". The secret is given away by the middle of the film, which still doesn't answer the questions that we have. Ruben was working with too big of a concept for his britches with this project and you can tell by the finished product that more could have been done to capture the sensationalism of aliens and abduction. It has been done before in other films, why couldn't he do it here? Yet another question that will never be answered as this film becomes just another cinematic mediocrity.
Grade: *** out of *****
Sadly I thought we were past this...
posted on 19 Aug 2009... time when movies about a mother's love for her son is sacrosanct. I think what rubs me the most is that the father in this movie forgets his daughter only to be reminded of her by Moore's character. I find the subtext of this disturbing.
This is a not-so-veiled misandrous film of giant proportions and rates up there with 'Enough' with Jennifer Lopez and the truly awful 'Panic Room' with Jodie Foster not to mention 'Unfaithful' with Richard Gere.
I don't know when this treasured narrative will dared to be rewritten and filmed showing that evil can be and is visited upon the innocent by both sexes, fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. I hope it is soon.
An intriguing film that didn't let me down at all
posted on 19 Aug 2009Ever since I saw the first trailer, I was fascinated by the premise of this movie - the memory of a dead child being erased from the minds of everyone but his mother - and wondered just how a story like that could possibly end. Having read some of the reviews, my expectations were a little bit lowered as I finally got the chance to view The Forgotten. It turns out that I need not have lowered my expectations at all because I loved this movie. I honestly can't see why so many people were disappointed with it. I had no preconceived notions of the ending, and I must say the conclusion not only made sense, it felt right to me. I'm not saying that the whole explanation behind everything doesn't have a few weak spots, but it certainly works for me. And the special effects - Wow! I wasn't really looking for any blow-you-away effects, and a couple of them really did a number on me - especially that first one. I didn't even see it coming. I wouldn't say I jumped, exactly, but there was definitely a twitch involved with the experience.
When you get right down to it, The Forgotten is really about a mother's love - probably the strongest force in the universe - and I think there is really something poignant and life-affirming in my reaction to what I saw here. Julianne Moore really is a great actress; she is definitely the rock upon which this story is built. Her character, Telly Paretta, loses everything - first her son in a tragic plane crash, and then what is left of her life as everyone around her forgets the son she is still grieving for. Every piece of evidence for young Sam's existence disappears - photos, scrapbooks, etc.; her husband insists that they never had a child; and her psychiatrist, Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise), explains to her that she invented all of her memories because of some kind of psychotic break from reality. Still, she never doubts what she knows inside. Fortunately, she does manage to awaken the forgotten memories of another girl's father, and that is when things really get weird. Suddenly, Telly and Ash (Dominic West) are being aggressively pursued by National Security agents, and that makes their job of finding out what is going on all the more difficult.
I understand that some won't really like the direction the story takes, but I was very impressed by the script and, especially, the convincing performance by Julianne Moore. I can't really argue the merits of the story without giving anything away, but I did think everything was laid out quite well. It's a mystery, a psychological thriller, and a drama all rolled up in into one, and I for one won't be forgetting The Forgotten any time soon.
Already "forgotten", conspiracy theories 101 with Julianne Moore
posted on 18 Aug 2009Stupid twist on a already redone premise about a mother (Moore) who after the supposed death of her son begins to lose her mind. Dr. Jack Munce (Sinise, in a rather bland term) tell her that Sam was never real she had a miscarriage. Now Telly is out to prove that Sam was real and she won't stop at any means necessary to find the truth. Director Joseph Ruben directs "The Forgotten" written by Gerald DiPego. And DiPego really does the same old cliché' act over and over with the same old twists. And even the villain Linus Roache has no true meaning to the film his crafty character is nearly obsolete and plays a small role into the deviant plot story. Truly forgettable (no pun intended).
"What would it have been like if Hitchcock had done it?"
posted on 12 Aug 2009New York City: A grieving mother called Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore) lost her nine-year-old son in a plane crash. However, her psychiatrist and husband are denying the fact that she ever had a son. A girl whom the boy was friends with at school was also killed in the accident, but when she goes to visit the father Ash Correll (Dominic West), he too denies that he had a daughter.The solution is preposterous, I won't spoil it for you, but I will go as far to say that it makes the film an uneasy combination of straightforward mystery and sci-fi. But there is enough intrigue in this mystery thriller to sustain the interest of the audience and this ultimately compensates for the general lack of suspense. Good performances too especially from Moore and West and it makes one wonder what the film would of been like if Alfred Hitchcock had done it.
Tinkle Music
posted on 10 Aug 2009Although I enjoyed watching The Forgotten especially with its introverted paranormal aspect I was annoyed by the for-the-children tinkle music. It really got on my nerves to the point of distraction.I did however enjoy the performances and even the story was developed enough. The only other item that bothered me was when Ash and the Friendly Man fell out the window and it was very unclear which one went up and which one went down as this was very important to the plot. I looked at it fifteen ways till Sunday as I have the DVD and I could only make a guess because they were dressed very similarly and yet the angle of the way they started to fall and the way they were falling was of some help. I can also make a logical guess but by then the scene moves on.Over all I did like the movie. Julianne Moore was never lovelier so it was worth seeing.Man alive do I hate tinkle music. In this movie it is non stop. I'm taking a look at Paycheck right now with Ben Affleck and Uma Thurman. There is a light violin that introduces the moment Ben's character gazes upon Uma's lovely eyes that slides in delicately to introduce Uma's character like Mozart's 40th - with subtlety and thought. I didn't hear any tinkle music to ruin anything.
The Forgotten - soon to be on Lifetime for women?
posted on 08 Aug 2009The casting was great, however the actors themselves I feel were less than superb. Julianne Moore plays a mother who has lost her son, and she's out to find him. To me, she came off more annoying than anything. Constant whining, obsessing, and flashbacks every 20 minutes can get under the skin, and is the last thing you'd expect from a 'suspense' film. 'Ash' was implied to be one who 'drinks away his sorrows'. However Dominic's drunken acts were less than believable. Watching this movie reminded me of those cheesy made for TV lifetime flicks where no name actors run around crying about lost kids.I found absolutely none of it suspenseful. I have no idea where the Sixth Sense comparisons came from, as this movie has nothing in common with it.To sum it all up - This movie is just a hyped up chick flick with a couple action scenes that fail to take the moment. The only reason I didn't walk out of the theater is because I was uselessly hoping it would pick up.
Forget this movie, it's crap
posted on 31 Jul 2009The movie starts off good, then all of sudden the story turns into bore fest. You're pretty much waiting for something to happen and when it does happen it's exactly what you expect. There are about 3 or 4 scenes in the whole friggin' movie that will keep your attention (or to wake you up). The ending was totally crap and it could have used.......anything to spice it up. For sure, you will forget this movie by the next day, cause you don't want to remember spending money on this film. If you've seen the commercials (or any previews), then you've seen this movie, cause the commercials pretty much show the scariest parts of the movie. I swear it's not worth the money (full price) to see this movie. I suggest this movie for those who want to take a girl out on a movie date. She'll jump, but you'll cry (for wasting your cash on such a film, unless you get some).
It was entertaining and did surprise me at times
posted on 29 Jul 2009From this movie i didn't expect much! That is why this movie did surprise me at times! The ambiance was of a "Shalaman made horror movie"! I knew that the ending would be cheesy. But I have to say I wasn't disappointed! Although the typical Hollywood ending destroys the threat portrayed in the movie,there is something of an open ending to the story! If the NSA is involved,then you know which direction the story can go! They did manage to give a spin on it This was a nice change to other horror movies where people disappear! Julliane Moore acts decent,but sometimes really does stupid things in the movie! You are beginning to wonder how come she is the one who finds out things are wrong! Gary Sinise,cool as ever' doesn't do much in this movie which is a big shame!Overall the movie was very entertaining!
DVD viewers - watch the extended alternate version
posted on 27 Jul 2009I did not see this movie in the theater because I had heard so many bad things about it, but I was intrigued by the ads and I am a Julianne Moore fan so when it came out on DVD I rented it right away.the movie overall was quite good. very suspenseful, interesting, strange, well acted, beautifully shot. well done - just very original in it's expression. but the ending wasn't what it could have been. if it weren't for the ending I would have given the movie and 8, but as it stands I gave it a 6. if I'd seen only the theatrical release I would have given it an even lower rating.the theatrical ending is TERRIBLE. don't waste your time with that version. I was surprised this movie had gotten such a low rating here until I watched the theatrical ending. those who saw it in the theater would have been justified in giving the movie low marks.but I really do recommend this movie very highly. despite its few flaws, it is a very worthwhile rental.
dont expect much...The Forgotten is forgettable
posted on 31 Aug 2009The movie starts out good with Julianne Moore (Boogie Nights, Far From Heaven) who is married to Anthony Edwards (Tv's E.R., Revenge Of The Nerds) and the suffered the loss of their younger son from a plane crash and there were other children on it as well. What she has left is photos and video footage of her son but things start to go weird when she sees that her son is not in a picture. She then starts to breakdown and her doctor...Gary Sinise (The Big Bounce, Snake Eyes) thinks he made up her son in her imagination. Moore meets Dominic West (Rock Star, HBO's The Wire) who's daughter was friends with her son but he swears he doesnt have a daughter but then when he says her name as he stands in her old room he starts to remember, so Moore and West run around the city being chased by guys in nicely pressed suits and the cops as well. The end result was predictable...why, well if you watched the trailer..you knew it was gonna be the green creatures but they take the form of humans. The message was that the beings took the children to observe the parents. The funny thing is that the aliens created a airline....hilarious. Though the only impressive scenes would have to be when the people get sucked up into the sky but otherthen that...it's not even that scary and it's pretty much like I said, predictable. Also starring Linus Roache (Hart's War, Wings Of The Dove) and Alfre Woodard (Crooklyn, Mumford).