Jack Colin is a playwright and screenwriter with an immense love for film & television which drives him to learn from and share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Living life as a trans man, Jack wants his writing to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and share the positive stories that are so often ignored through his work at The Hollywood Insider, he is eager to give readers a confident outlook on life. The storytellers of the world are the ones who decide what happiness can be. Jack takes pride in The Hollywood Insider’s mission statement to stray away from gossip and to lift up voices in entertainment with supportive and meaningful stories that will promote strength and unity.
Dec 26, 2021
Table of Contents
Photo: ‘The Unforgivable’
‘The Unforgivable’ – Netflix Doesn’t Quit
Netflix has teamed up again with a gritty and serious Sandra Bullock. In 2018, Netlfix released the horror/sci-fi ‘Bird Box’ starring Bullock that was an absolute hit. Now she transforms herself into an ex-con with a mission. She plays Ruth Slater, a recently released ex-con from prison who was put away for murdering a cop. After her twenty-year sentence, she enters the world again and is on the path to finding her younger sister who got put into foster care at five years old. The film shows the hardship of ex-cons trying to find employment and housing while staying out of trouble. Bullock is cold and raw in this film as she tries to find her footing in a world that will not forget what she did in her past.
‘The Unforgivable’ is overall an entertaining film directed by Nora Fingscheidt. Though as more and more content is released from streaming services, the hype and excitement have slowly been getting lost as new films come out. What big studios with theatrical releases have better is the advertisement and marketing that makes people excited and anticipate seeing the movie. Netflix is on to the next project by the time their new film premieres. A lack of advertising doesn’t take away the fact that the film is entertaining, but makes it less inclining to click to watch.
Less is More
‘The Unforgivable’ had a very strong plotline, the ex-con adjusting to their free life while trying to find her lost sister. That plot alone could fill up 90 minutes of screen time, but this film does more than that. Simultaneously, we learn about the grown-up sister and what she is doing now, she struggles with lost memories of a woman and suffers from nightmares. It’s interesting to see this and how their connection is very real, while going back to the day of the murder. Then we learn more about the lives of the people that lived in the house where the murder occurred because Bullock wanted to see the house and how it has changed in the past years. There we meet Viola Davis and Vincent D’Onofrio, who have a family there and are concerned about the woman who watched their house from afar. Seems like a well-rounded story with lots of moving parts… well there is more.
The thriller aspect of the film is fulfilled by the cop who was murdered. The boys team up and are invested in the life that Bullock now lives as a free person while they are still mourning their father. This part of the film is definitely entertaining and gripping, but the fact that there is so much going on already in this film, the attention to detail and storyline gets lost because of it. Stripping back some of the plot lines and even taking some characters out of the story would have given audiences more time to sympathize with characters and care more about them.
Strong Women
Sandra Bullock is one of the biggest female actors in Hollywood right now. It seems she continues to break her own boundaries whether it be a romantic comedy like ‘Miss Congeniality’ or a sci-fi thriller like ‘Gravity’. It’s rare to see her in a role so rough and raw like this film. Even the make-up that made her look worn out and tired isn’t like her past roles. She delivered in every scene and made it her own without realizing that it is Sandra Bullock.
Though she wasn’t given a ton of screen time, Viola Davis is always a treat to watch. Her powerful voice and serious tone makes everyone straighten up in their seats. Her role as Liz Ingram was wonderful when we had the time with her. There was one scene in particular where Bullock and Davis were both in distress yelling at each other and it really shook me. Hearing them both act their hearts out in this vulnerable moment was really incredible to see. Without these two women, this film would not have the same rating that it does now.
Netflix’s newest film ‘The Unforgivable’ is a gripping new drama that features a new side of Sandra Bullock. With strong female leads by Bullock and Davis, the film hooks the audience from the moment it begins. Though the film is not groundbreaking or revolutionary in cinema, it is an overall fun and entertaining watch. With more and more Netflix releases and other streaming services original content coming at full speed, the A-list actors are having their hand at being a part of the action. Make sure to watch ‘The Unforgivable’ on Netflix!
Also Viola Davis’s upcoming projects ‘The Woman King’ and the series ‘The First Lady’ where she stars at Michelle Obama in 2022.
Actors: Sandra Bullock, Viola Davis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Richard Thomas, Linda Emond, Aisling Franciosi, Emma Nelson, & Will Pullen
Directed by: Nora Fingscheidt | Written by: Peter Craig, Hillary Seitz, Sally Wainwright & Courtenay Miles| Produced by: Graham Wright, Sandra Bullock, Veronica Ferres, and Colin Vaines
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Jack Colin is a playwright and screenwriter with an immense love for film & television which drives him to learn from and share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Living life as a trans man, Jack wants his writing to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and share the positive stories that are so often ignored through his work at The Hollywood Insider, he is eager to give readers a confident outlook on life. The storytellers of the world are the ones who decide what happiness can be. Jack takes pride in The Hollywood Insider’s mission statement to stray away from gossip and to lift up voices in entertainment with supportive and meaningful stories that will promote strength and unity.
Jack Colin is a playwright and screenwriter with an immense love for film & television which drives him to learn from and share his passion with anyone willing to listen. Living life as a trans man, Jack wants his writing to create a safe space for LGBTQ+ members and share the positive stories that are so often ignored through his work at The Hollywood Insider, he is eager to give readers a confident outlook on life. The storytellers of the world are the ones who decide what happiness can be. Jack takes pride in The Hollywood Insider’s mission statement to stray away from gossip and to lift up voices in entertainment with supportive and meaningful stories that will promote strength and unity.
