An accident in Morrocoo’s High Atlas Mountains forces an eclectic group of people to face life and death.
Based on the novel by Lawrence Osborne, The Forgiven is written and directed by John Michael McDonagh. Having not read the book, the adaptation cannot be judged here, however the film itself is interesting in many aspects while taking a bit too long to develop, get to the point, and then to its conclusion. There is something powerful here, but it basically gets lost in endless conversations, too many drinks, and a few too many characters who don’t really bring much to the table. As a whole, this is a watch that requires patience and a willingness to bypass long stretches that don’t seem to be there for anything else than give some of the cast more screentime. In the end, many viewers will most likely give up on the story and its characters before anything is really learned or clarified. However, for those willing to stick it out, there is something to this film that makes it a worthwhile watch, even if for only one time.
The cast here is what will bring most people to this film and they all do fantastic work with Jessica Chastain as a bored wife who used to be a writer giving a performance worthy of being on screen as much as she is even though her actual involvement in the central story is minimal. Her character is there for a reason, but that reason isn’t always that clear beyond being the wife of the lead. Thankfully, Chastain can make anything work and does so again here. In the lead, Ralph Fiennes does well in a character with limited emotions. This leads to a performance where everything must be subdued and Fiennes does well with that. Noticeable in terms of performance and a bringer of exposition is Saïd Taghmaoui who gives the types of performances those who have followed his career have become accustomed to, a strong, less is more performance that steals a few scenes. The rest of the case does mostly rather well, some being better and/or having more interesting characters to pull from. Many will want to watch this for Matt Smith, who feels underwhelming here for some reason. In a cast this strong, more was expected in his part. Overall, this is powerful bunch of actors all in one movie, yet the performances all seem subdued for the most part, giving everyone not enough time to really shine.
One top element of this film is the cinematography by Larry Smith. This is the kind of film with absolutely sumptuous locations in a desolate terrain, something that gives the film a very particular look which the cinematography makes the most of. This is one beautiful film to look at and the fact that the story meanders and seems to just take too long gives the view a more important place. While a scene feels much to long, the images on screen are never not beautiful. The framing, the particular attention to light and color, the way every single scene comes to the screen are the reasons why to watch this film if the performances are not enough. The film has a few breathtaking scenes and sequences, a few post card moments that are shot with the eye of an artist.
The Forgiven is a film with strong performances, stronger images that unfortunately gets lost in scenes and sequences that are given much too long to deliver. There is something beautiful here in terms of style and images, there is also something to the story with a lesson about learning from others, from differences, from unusual situations, but it all becomes muddled before the film reaching it denouement after almost 2 hours.