Review of The Unforgivable (2021) by Nobodyyouknow — 11 Dec 2021

Don't expect to crack a smile at any point in this movie. Even the lightest moments where Ruth (Bullock) and Blake (Bernthal) are starting to hit it off aren't really light enough to lift the dark pall from the proceedings. It's mostly a dark, intense, depressing ride. I had planned on watching only about 30 minutes of the film because it was late and I was planning to go to bed soon, but I was sucked into the story. That said, there were some subplots that seemed superfluous, particularly Ruth's relationship with Blake. It didn't serve to move the story forward in any meaningful way. Likewise, the subplot with Steve, Keith, and Steve's wife seemed unnecessary, though it hinted at a deeper story with those characters; it felt like a subplot that would've been fleshed out in a book.

There are some implausible aspects of the story which detracted from its believability. The most glaring came after the big reveal -- which I won't spoil -- but the choice Ruth made after the Sheriff's death 20 years ago really doesn't make sense to me, and the film exists solely because of that choice. When you see the reveal, think about how the legal system works, and think about what would've been a much more reasonable choice on Ruth's part. It just wasn't necessary for her life to turn out like it did.

I was distracted by Ruth's age -- or, rather, the fact that Bullock played her. Ruth says she spent half her life (20 years) in prison, so she's supposed to be 40-ish. Well, Bullock looks great for 57, but she looks *botox* great -- she does *not* look 40. The casting (or the age of her character) didn't make sense there.

The acting and production values are mostly excellent. Bullock does a great job of playing someone hardened by 20 years of jail time, though her portrayal occasionally feels too constrained in certain scenes. Bernthal, who has a tendency to overact in everything he does, felt more natural in this than in most things I've seen him in. Viola Davis was superb as the lawyer's wife, but her role was disappointingly small.

Despite the film's flaws (and its trite though emotional ending), it works as a mostly absorbing drama.