Watch The Unforgivable on Netflix
Written by: Peter Craig and Hillary Seitz and Courtenay Miles (screenplay by), Sally Wainwright (based on the TV series "Unforgiven" by)
Directed by: Nora Fingscheidt
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Bernthal
Rated: NR (R)
Watch the trailer
Plot
A woman is released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime and re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past.
Verdict
This captures both sides of the crime in a way that makes them seem reasonable. With a crime like this, everyone suffers. It's a smart script, but does get wild towards the end as it figures out how to conclude the story. The second half ends up being forced, but what I like about this is how it tracks the trauma from one crime. It affects many people, some unaware of the original crime.
Watch It.
Review
Ruth (Sandra Bullock) just got released from prison and re-enters society. It's not an easy transition with few job opportunities for felons. Ruth stays at a homeless shelter, having to carry her few belongings with her all the time. This teases what she did with quick flashbacks that don't provide the full story. It's easy to tell when we're in a flashback as Sandra Bullock looks rough in the present day.
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| Sandra Bullock plays Ruth Slater |
This shows both sides of the crime. Ruth has been punished for the crime, but that punishment never stops. As her parole officer tells her, she may be out of prison she'll always be a felon. That label will follow he everywhere.
The sons of the victim see Ruth out of jail and want vengeance. They don't see her struggles. They only want personal justice. They see her with a job and a home and think she has too much and is living like it never happened. They don't see she ahares a bedroom with three others or is working two jobs at minimum wage. It's all about perspective, and I like that dynamic. One of the sons talks to Ruth though she doesn't know who he is. Ruth makes an offhand remark that "life goes on." The son sees that as Ruth has forgotten the past and isn't suffering. What he doesn't see is that Ruth isn't going to spill her guts to a stranger. Admitting to anyone she is a felon can have dangerous consequences and cost her a job. The son wants to be the arbiter of Ruth's suffering. It's not right, but understandable.
The weakest part of the story is the lawyer, John (Vincent D'Onofrio). Ruth visits her old home which happens to be owned by John. Somehow it was never revealed to him that it was a murder house. Wouldn't that have to be disclosed? John happens to be a lawyer that can help Ruth find her sister. The whole thing seems like a mistake for Ruth. Asking him for help can go bad once he realizes who she is. This is a factor into the conclusion where the nature of Ruth's crime is finally revealed as a way to force the plot in the right direction. It just didn't seem like the right time for the reveal where all the fragmented pieces of backstory come together. The story of what Ruth did and why works well, it's just why she reveals it that is off.
Past and present converge at the conclusion where the sons of Ruth's victim want to exact justice. The easy way out in the story is to make Ruth a hero willing to sacrifice herself, but thankfully this doesn't go the tropey route.
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