Reel Reflections

‘Forgotten’ enjoyable, but not lasting memory

Movie titles often are more ironic than directors realize, though their irony rarely escapes the movie’s reviewers. This certainly is not a place to break from tradition, and so it must be said that, while interesting, "The Forgotten" is destined to become just that.

Julianne Moore ("Laws of Attraction") plays Telly Perrata, a grieving mother whose son, Sam, died in a plane crash 14 months earlier. Her psychiatrist, Dr. Jack Munce, played by Gary Sinise ("The Big Bounce"), and her husband Jim Perrata, played by Anthony Edwards ("Thunderbirds"), try to support her as she works through the psychological trauma of her son’s death.

One day, as Telly follows a compulsive routine that takes her through all of Sam’s old belongings and pictures, she discovers that the pictures are missing and the home movies are blank. She accuses her husband of conspiring to help her get over Sam’s death. But when the two of them meet with Munce, he explains what he and Jim always have known — Telly suffers from paramnesia. Jim explains that Sam was stillborn, and Telly has invented nine years worth of memories in response to losing her baby. Telly’s response is, predictably, one of disbelief. She sets out to prove that her son did exist.

This introduction sounds like it would make a good movie, however, this scenario all takes place within the first 20 minutes of the 91-minute running time. After setting up the interesting — if somewhat unoriginal — scenario above, writer Gerald Di Pego ("Angel Eyes") and director Joseph Ruben ("Return to Paradise") use the remaining 71 minutes to take us on an adventure of the bizarre. Telly receives help from Ash Correl (Dominic West, "Mona Lisa Smile"), who, after some prompting from Telly, remembers his own daughter used to play with Sam. They never really have time to regroup, however, as increasingly strange circumstances befall them.

Though "The Forgotten" keeps the audience curious as to what the real explanation for Sam’s questioned existence is, the ultimate plot twist was easy for even this dense reviewer to pick up on. The resolution illogically is optimistic in a movie that draws heavily on the confusion and fear of its main characters. It is worth a look for its myriad twists and turns and panicked, documentary-like filming style, but not before it arrives in Grafton Stovall-Theatre or on the rental shelf."The Forgotten"

Starring: Julliane Moore, Anthony Edwards

Running time: 91 mins

Rated: PG-13

Three paws