THE UNFORGIVABLE

US, 2021, 112 minutes, Colour.

Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosa, Emma Nelson, Will Pullen, Tom Guiry, Jessica McLeod, Rob Morgan.

Directed by Nora Fingscheidt.

This is an American drama with several strong plotlines, some intense characters, interconnections and an arresting final twist.

It is based on a television series, The Unforgiven. The Unforgivable seems a better title because the person who is not being forgiven has shot a police officer on duty.

She is Ruth Slater, a strong role for Sandra Bullock in middle age. She has confessed to the crime so there seems to be no mystery at all. And she has served 20 years in prison, getting out as the film opens. She has become rather hardened by her experience, seems to have no future prospects except the search for her sister who was five years old at the time of the shooting. Ruth experiences a variety of flashbacks throughout the film, building up the situation about her family, her father’s suicide, her bringing up the little sister, the resistance to moving out of the family home leading to the death of the sheriff.

Ruth is under supervision by her strong-minded but sympathetic parole officer, Rob Morgan. She has to live in a hostel, in a room with three hard women. She has refused a carpentry job (her professional talent) because of her crime. She does find work in a salmon factory, and a part-time job in carpentry constructing a centre for the homeless. But, she is intent on finding her sister even though the law has forbidden this. We have a certain sympathy for Ruth but she is off-putting because of her hard attitudes.

In the meantime, we see the sister, Katie (Aisling Franciosa from The Nightingale), a talented pianist, adopted by a sympathetic couple, played by Richard Thomas and Linda Emond, who have not told her the truth. We also see Katie’s flashbacks, glimpses of the fatal events. Katie is good friends with the couple’s daughter, Emily (Emma Nelson). Clearly, the search will be one of the main themes.

However, as suggested earlier, this is a strong drama and introduces two further themes. The first concerns the two, now-adult, sons of the deceased sheriff. The older is angry and wants vengeance, shocked that Ruth is allowed to live an ordinary life. The younger brother is resistant, contrives to meet Ruth, but becomes bitter (aggravated by domestic difficulties with his wife). The other theme opens when Ruth goes back to look at the family home, encounters a new owner, a lawyer played by Vincent D’Onofrio, whom she tries to persuade to search for her sister. There is a powerful seen when Ruth eventually meets the couple with disastrous consequences The lawyer’s wife, played by Viola Davis, has a hard and harsh attitude towards Ruth – but, in a moving sequence, is forced to listen to Ruth and think about what has happened to her.

All the themes begin to converge at the end, potential for violence, potential for Ruth to see her sister, vengeance for the sins of the deceased sheriff and an unexpected twist

Strong plot, strong cast, interesting drama – and some final tears.

1. The title, unforgivable rather than unforgiven? Ruth Slater as unforgivable?
2. The American town, settings, the home and the surrounding fields, the American city, streets, buildings, hostels, salmon factory, production, school, piano performance, the docks and warehouses? The musical score?
3. Sandra Bullock as Ruth Slater, strong character, not glamorous? The procedure of getting out of jail, her parole officer and the talks, limitations on her activities? Not to seek for her sister? No contact with the family of the deceased sheriff? Going to the hostel, the room, four bunks, the women with problems, going through her possessions? Angers?
4. The job interview, her skill in carpentry, her being refused because of her conviction? The job with the salmon factory? The building site, the discussions with the constructor, her skill, stabilising the construction? Getting a job with construction, her skills?
5. The flashbacks, the establishing of what happened, the suicide of the father, the mother dead in giving birth to Katie, Ruth looking after her sister, schooling her? The eviction notice – but with the offer of a home? Ruth’s resistance, the gun, the threats, the sheriff, the shooting, his death, her giving herself up, admitting that she had shot the sheriff, conviction and jail?
6. Katie, her age, adopted by the family, their concern for her, parenting, Emily as her sister, bonding with her? The initial accident, Katie distracted driving, the crash, going to hospital? Her concern about her rehearsal, performance, piano? The scenes of her playing? Katie’s memories of the events, blurred? The memory of the piano notes on her arm?
7. Ruth, the routines of life, the friendship with Blake, tentative, sharing meals, going out, the discussions? The possibility of bonding? The truth, his shock? The repercussions, his blurting out to others, the wife of the police officer and her bashing Ruth? Blake and his admission that he had served time, attempted reconciliation?
8. Ruth going to the house, looking at it, John coming out, inviting her in, the suspicion of Liz, the scenes with their children? Ruth and her explanations, the carpentry? John giving her the lift to the station, his being a lawyer, her asking him to help?
9. John, in his office, googling Ruth, discovering the truth, his hesitation? Her phone calls and insistence? His sympathy towards her? The approach to the adoptive parents, hesitation, decision to go? The failure of the meeting, the father and his anger, the mother and her not having destroyed Ruth’s letters to Katie, Ruth’s violent outburst? The couple walking out?
10. The irony of Emily overhearing her parents about going to see the lawyer, finding the letters, reading them? Making an appointment to meet Ruth, the discussions, sympathy?
11. The Whelan brothers, the older brother, his bitterness, memories, stalking Ruth? Talking to the younger brother, his not remembering his father, not motivated to get revenge? The older brother’s resentment at her ordinary life and freedom? Steve, his relationship with his wife and child, tentative, his taking the opportunity to meet Ruth, by accident? Her comment that life goes on and his reaction to this? Discovering his wife’s infidelity with his brother, bitterness, setting up a revenge, to destroy Ruth’s sister, the irony of his seeing Emily with Ruth, assuming she was Katie, abducting her, tying her up?
12. Ruth, the continued discussions with the parole officer, his advice, the information that Katie was to play at the auditorium, getting the permission to go?
13. Going back to the house, Liz and her hostility, Ruth telling her story? Liz’s change of attitude, driving Ruth? The message about Katie, Liz calling the police? Liz going into confronts Steve, talking, appealing to him, Emily and her fear? His eventually not killing Ruth? Going out on the police?
14. Ruth and her insistence that she had killed the sheriff? Taking the blame, giving herself up? The flashbacks to the reality, her being on the phone, Katie getting the rifle, shooting? With taking the blame for talking about using the rifle? Taking Katie to the diner, the special desert, Katie looking away from the window, eating, Ruth being arrested and taken?
15. Emily rescued, her parents present? Katie, seeing Ruth, the embrace?