Today’s guest review was written by Justin Petryshek.
How many Hollywood movies can you think of that feature the mother as the main character? A few may come to mind, but we all know that Hollywood has a long and shameful history when it comes to women in film – not only because of its treatment of the actresses who play them, but also because of the woeful absence strong female characters and storylines. .
For all Quiet place, Terminatoror Blind areaThere seem to be dozens, if not hundreds of films that either downplay female roles or lack strong female characters entirely. However, the same cannot be said about the 2004 thriller. Forgotten.
The story revolves around Telly Paretta (Julianne Moore), a mother who believes her son Sam died in a plane crash over a year ago. She’s still grieving, and that’s understandable. Telly talks about Sam to her psychiatrist Dr. Mance (Gary Sinise), visits Sam’s old room to be near his things or smell his clothes, watches old home videos and reminisces in photo albums. To Telly, Sam is still very real, still close, and not just a memory.
But one day, returning home, she discovers that Sam’s room has changed and his things are missing. Telly confronts her husband Jim (Anthony Edwards), accusing him of trying to forget and leave their son. The problem, however, is not that the father is trying to cope with the death of his son. The problem, according to Jim, is that Sam never grew up. Having been pregnant and having suffered a miscarriage, Telly apparently imagined Sam’s life as part of a delusional fantasy, filling her mind with false images and memories. Forced to doubt her motherhood, she begins to doubt her sanity.
In this film, not only does the mother take center stage, but the issue of motherhood becomes the axis around which the entire film revolves. Telly must search for evidence that Sam existed and that she was truly the mother, even as those around her say he didn’t exist and mysterious figures actively try to stop her search. Sam’s presence may have been erased from the photo albums and videos she once clung to, but she still retains the memories of him—memories that she is certain are real and infallible.
Science fiction films often become a means by which we warn society to be careful and aware of the harm that certain technologies can cause or that certain decisions can manifest. We want to warn society against causing irreparable damage. So what is the film? Forgotten are you trying to talk about our culture?
Is the government really colluding with forces that want us to forget the importance or even existence of our mothers? Is society under threat of eliminating motherhood? Or is motherhood the last line of defense, one of the most important realities that makes us human, and the one part of ourselves that we cannot forget?
SPOILER ALERT: The last few paragraphs spoil the end of the film. So, if you want to find out first-hand what Telly discovers on her quest, or whether Sam was real, watch the movie and then come back to finish this article later.
The bond between mother and child is the whole essence of the film. Or, as the mysterious Friendly Man puts it at the end of the film: “The bond between a mother and her child is like an invisible fabric. We can even measure its energy, but we don’t fully understand it, so I asked the question, can it be dissolved?”
Of course, Man Friendly is not what he seems, and no force that seeks to destroy the bond between mother and child is ever what it seems. Friendly Man sought out children not to experiment on children only, but to test the bonds between parent and child. When Telly is put to the ultimate test, she offers her life in exchange.
“Give me back my son and I’ll do whatever you want,” she tells Friendly Man. “What I want, Telly, is for you to forget your son, forget Sam,” he replies.
Here the film reveals its ultimate statement about motherhood: a mother will sacrifice herself, but will never forget her child.
“There was life inside me. I had a life. I have a child. I have a son,” Telly declares at a crucial moment. “I have a son and his name is Sam, you son of a bitch.” Her pronunciation is, of course, intimidating and menacing, but the change in her language is no less interesting. There is confidence and confidence in her voice. “THAT had life” becomes “I have child.” She remembers and acknowledges not only that she had a child, but that her child still exists.
In Hollywood, where there aren’t as many strong female roles and storylines, Telly’s motherhood takes center stage. This is a reality that cannot be erased, no matter how hard many try. This is not something that can be hidden or forgotten. The fact that the film is called Forgotten largely forgotten, or at least overlooked, turns out to be yet another wrinkle in our social model.
Forgotten Directed by Joseph Ruben from a screenplay by Gerald Di Pego. The film is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense thematic material, some violence and brief language.
Justin Petrisek is a writer from Virginia. He received a Master of Arts in Creative Writing and a Master of Letters from George Mason University, and a Master of Theology from the Augustine Institute.