Film Review: THE UNFORGIVABLE (2021): Sandra Bullock’s Latest Film Means Well but Is Rather Manipulative

The Unforgivable Review

The Unforgivable (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Nora Fingscheidt and starring Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Emma Nelson, Will Pullen, Tom Guiry, Jessica McLeod, Rob Morgan, Andrew Francis, W. Earl Brown, Neli Kastrinos, Orlando Lucas and Jude Wilson.

The Unforgivable, directed by Nora Fingscheidt is a film that has noble intentions but is ultimately undermined by its manipulative emotional sequences that throw off the balance of the thriller aspect of the movie which is also problematic for other reasons. Some movies can interweave dramatic scenes and thrilling sequences extremely well, but this film does not, unfortunately. There are some intriguing scenes here that move the film along at a decent pace, but the movie gets caught up in a plot that’s ultimately too complicated for the film’s own good.

Oscar winner Sandra Bullock stars in the film as Ruth Slater who murdered a police officer and was sentenced to prison for many years as a result. Ruth may have had her reasons for doing what she did, but the film isn’t about her trying to clear her name for the crime she committed many years ago. Instead, it’s about her attempts to reconnect with her younger sister Katherine (played by Neli Kastrinos as a child and Aisling Franciosi as a young adult). It seems the man she killed was trying to evict the sisters from their home at the time he was murdered.

Ruth is released from jail and ready to start over again with a new life. She gets a job slicing the heads off fish and lives with several female roommates one of whom Ruth attacks when she finds her going through her personal stuff. Enter a lawyer named John Ingram (Vincent D’Onofrio in a solid performance) and his wife Liz (Viola Davis in one of her lesser roles). They have moved into the home where Ruth once lived and, one day, Ruth is standing outside the house staring at it which causes concern and John goes to see what her issue is. She lies to John, and he can tell she’s got serious problems that need to be addressed. Ruth wants to see Katherine and enlists John’s help.

Meanwhile, Blake (Jon Bernthal), a co-worker of Ruth’s, forms a bond with her and takes her out on a date which goes well until Ruth admits she was in prison. To make matters worse, a couple of guys (Will Pullen, Tom Guiry) are seeking revenge on Ruth and want to get back at her for what she did those years back.

Linda Emond plays Katherine’s adopted mother, Rachel, and Richard Thomas is her new dad, Michael. Emma Nelson plays Katherine’s new sister, Emily, who serves a major function in the film’s plot. There’s a really good scene in the film where John sets up a meeting with the adoptive parents and Ruth. However, Ruth blows it by deciding to curse Rachel and Michael out instead of trying to state her case convincingly. Ruth has written letters to her sister, and it seems she hasn’t read them. Emily is the character the film relies on to tie up the loose ends here.

Bullock is not in top form in this role, but I felt like I could relate to her character a little bit more than some may be able to. That’s because Ruth is fighting an uphill battle in her new life. She ends up working two jobs to make ends meet and can’t sustain happiness unless she gets answers regarding whether or not she could get closure regarding her sister’s true feelings. Bullock is good at showing the audience why Ruth deserves to be accepted by society again. She works hard and wants to move forward despite her past. When Blake tells another co-worker that Ruth was in jail, things get even more heavy-handed, though, more so than the plot can adequately deal with. This film definitely bit off more than it could chew in terms of heavy subject matters.

The most disappointing part of the movie is the series of scenes where we watch Pullen and Guiry’s characters take their hits at Ruth for the old crime she committed. Both actors’ roles can make the audience feel like these characters are visiting from another movie altogether.

D’Onofrio acquits himself adequately in his role. Davis probably deserved the Best Actress Oscar last year and this time out, she stands no chance of getting another nomination for her role here but there’s something about Davis which makes you invested in her characters whether it’s a well-written role or not. Bernthal does what he can with an underwritten character and makes the most of what he has to work with.

The Unforgivable is going to be a hit for Netflix. There’s a lot going on here and the audience won’t be bored but, from a more analytical standpoint, what’s going on in the movie is simply too much for one movie to adequately portray successfully. If it centered more on the family aspect of the film, it would have been better. Instead, it runs with themes of payback and revenge that just ring false. Bullock is always reliable, though, and audiences could find her character more relatable than they care to admit.

Rating: 6/10

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