The Reel Review
Sandra Bullock stars in this Netflix crime thriller about an ex-convict attempting to reconnect with her younger sister and rebuild her life after serving 20 years in prison for killing a police officer. Try as she might, she seems unable to escape her troubled past and catch a break. The Unforgivable is based on the 2009 British TV miniseries Unforgiven.
Bullock delivers a heartbreaking, lump-in-your-throat performance, illustrating the difficulty that ex-convicts have in trying to escape their past sins and gain a second chance. The film’s strong supporting cast includes Viola Davis, Richard Thomas (The Waltons), Vincent D’Onofrio and Jon Bernthal.
As strong as the acting is, there are some problems with The Unforgivable. It is relentlessly and torturously dour, and contains not just one, but two contrived twists, one of which frankly strains the bounds of believability. But it still is worth seeing, just to see Bullock deliver such a harrowing, powerhouse performance.
REEL FACTS
• Although adapted from the British miniseries Unforgiven, filmmakers struggled for a year to find a title that wouldn’t be confused with Clint Eastwood’s Oscar-winning 1992 Western, Unforgiven.
• Jon Bernthal (Sicario, The Walking Dead) and Vincent D’Onofrio both appeared in the 2015 TV series Daredevil.
• The Unforgivable was filmed in and around Vancouver, Canada.
Video & Photo
