The Forgiven (2017) Reviews

• Worth watching. They tell an incredibly important story well.

  sutherland-pierre2018-04-22

  The story of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be required viewing as far as I'm concerned. The actors and director clearly care about this story and they have told it well. I'm a white South African with family that were in the police and military during this time. I think this movie is incredibly well done. Don't worry about the camera angles and makeup; just watch, enjoy, and maybe even learn something. My favourite exchange: "Do you know what Paradise Lost is?" "A nightclub?" "No, you clutch plate. It's a poem... about me!" Cheers, Pierre

• A worthwhile watch and one extraordinary scene at the end.

  philsk2018-05-22

  I had a job to recognise Forest Whittaker when the movie started because the make up was so good, and his normal facial expressions and mannerisms were just not there for this movie, quite rightly so to because he portrayed Desmond Tutu so very well. Eric Bana's portrayal was so brilliant that you really hated the man and became engrossed in the interplay between him and Tutu, which in itself was interesting to watch. I won't go into the details and spoil everything, but one of the scenes towards the end of the movie was one of the most heart-wrenching scenes I have ever seen in any movie, anywhere, and surely the actors must have received a standing ovation from the crew after it was filmed. Don't be put off by the poor reviews, because this is a movie worth watching and you may well learn something along the way.

• Not as bad as the reveiws...

  shakeel-arshad2018-03-18

  Ideally I'd rate this 7.5 out 10, i've noticed all the negative reveiws (it's not that bad) , to be honest Eric Banas moustache and Forest Whittakers nose were a 7/10 alone. Directed by the great Roland Joffe (The Mission, The Killing Fields & City of joy) this is about the relationship between Banas rascist inmate and Whittakers sympathetic Archbishop Tutu, just after Nelson Mandela became President, this deals with deep and bitter resentment,and is at times brutally violent, it's about 20 mins overlong but it's still a decent film.

• A must-see!

  baileyl-355002018-08-12

  This movie evoked many emotions, good and bad. It depicts what we as human beings are capable of at both ends of the spectrum. A difficult one to watch if you're a sensitive, caring person but, trust me, there IS a pay off in the end! Faith and love always.

• A Must-Watch!

  mikechege2018-04-16

  This is a brilliant movie about a very sensitive subject. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) was a truly courageous and noble initiative to deal with the atrocities committed under apartheid in South Africa. Like the last reviewer, I'd probably give the movie a 7.5/10. That this movie was filmed in South Africa with South African actors (besides Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana, of course) impressed me even more! The performance by Thandi Makhubele (Mrs. Marobe) in the scene where she confronts one of her daughter's killers towards the end was particularly poignant. One can imagine such scenes playing out in real life during the TRC hearings.