The Forgotten (PG-13)

Creepy thriller not for faint of heart.

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Common Sense rates it
2
Seen the movie? Review it
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Movie details
  • Studio: Columbia Tristar, Columbia Tristar
  • Directed By: Joseph Ruben
  • Cast: Julianne Moore, Gary Sinise
  • Running Time: 90 minutes
  • Release Date: 09/24/2004
  • Video/DVD Release Date: 01/18/2005
  • Genre: Thriller
  • MPAA Rating: PG-13
  • MPAA Explanation: intense thematic material, some violence and brief language

Parents need to know

Parents need to know that this movie has frequent tense scenes with characters in peril and some startling surprises. The plot concerns the death of six children, and other characters are injured and apparently killed. There are brief frightening images and a few bad words. A character abuses alcohol.

Families can talk about how we know whether our memories are accurate. What can we do to make sure we remember the things that are important to us?

Message

Social Behavior:

Strong female and minority characters.

Consumerism:

Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco:

Character abuses alcohol.

Violence

A lot of tension and peril and some jump-out-at-you surprises, brief grisly images.

Sex

Language

Brief strong language.

Common Sense says

What's the story?

Reviewed by Nell Minow

In THE FORGOTTEN, Telly (Julianne Moore) mourns her son Sam, who died along with five other children on a plane to summer camp fourteen months before. Her therapist, Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise), that she still spends time every day going through Sam's dresser drawer, watching him in home movies on video, looking at him in photographs. Dr. Munce tells her that it's just "memory, doing its job." While Telly's memory is failing her when it comes to everyday issues, she thinks of Sam every minute. Dr. Munce tells her that "sometimes the mind needs help in letting a thing go." But Telly does not want help. Then, her husband Jim (Anthony Edwards) tells her something shocking. There never was a Sam. Telly has been mentally ill, suffering from "paramnesia" since her miscarriage. Jim and Dr. Munce have been trying to lead her gradually back to reality. All external evidence of Sam has disappeared and no one remembers him. Who should Telly believe? She trusts her husband and doctor. But somehow she believes what she remembers, even though it seems to make no sense.

Is it any good?

2
The Forgotten does a pretty good job of creating the atmosphere early on, keeping us as unbalanced and unsure of what to believe as Telly is. But then the plot goes off in a direction that is so nutty, even by movie standards, that it is just plain silly, leaving so many holes that it knocks us out of that nice creepy atmosphere and into oh-come-off-it-land. It feels like the screenwriters had no idea where to go and so just randomly spun the wheel of movie genres to pick an ending. They should have spun again.

Other choices

The Sixth Sense

Gaslight

So Long at the Fair
Bunny Lake is Missing
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Parents and kids say

All Reviews

There are 10 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/07/07 by dklink94 Kid contributor, age 13

loved it!

i watched this a few years ago. and i now own it. this movie is SOOOOOOOOOO good! i love love love love love it! it has a great plot twist at the end and it is awesome! /sex/ none. in extended the 2 main characters make out while laying on bed. /violence/ characters randomly look like they jumped onto a superpowered springboard and fly away like airplanes launched off of a rocket launchpad /language/ some brief language such as hell, s--t, D**n, and i think 1 or 2 b---hes. great movie! i reccomend to 10+
4


Posted on 12/09/06 by moviefreak94 Kid contributor, age 12

good movie

good movie. scary parts but to scary. interesting plot. shot almost all in the dark so hard to see.
3


Posted on 05/08/06 by kliz104.1 Kid contributor, age 11
2


Posted on 11/14/05 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

Not a bad film

You can do worse. Not a bad film for a night at home with friends.
5


Posted on 08/20/05 by queenrachie2 Kid contributor, age 14

I Loved This Movie

This movie was so good! I loved it! Julianna Moore and Gary Snise are such good actors! All over a fabulas movie!
4

Posted on 03/30/05 by Anonymous Adult contributor
4


Posted on 02/28/05 by jake Kid contributor, age 13

Ok

This movie was ok. It needs a new ending
3


Posted on 02/23/05 by fritzsky Adult contributor
4


Posted on 02/19/05 by dudeman123 Kid contributor, age 13
4


Posted on 09/25/04 by mike600 Adult contributor

Very well worth it 11+

This movie had alchol and peril but threre's really no reason for it not to be seen.

See all 10 reviews >

Adult Reviews

There are 4 reviews.

2


Posted on 11/14/05 by tommysportsgirl Adult contributor

Not a bad film

You can do worse. Not a bad film for a night at home with friends.
4

Posted on 03/30/05 by Anonymous Adult contributor
3


Posted on 02/23/05 by fritzsky Adult contributor
4


Posted on 09/25/04 by mike600 Adult contributor

Very well worth it 11+

This movie had alchol and peril but threre's really no reason for it not to be seen.

Kids Reviews

There are 6 reviews.

5


Posted on 07/07/07 by dklink94 Kid contributor, age 13

loved it!

i watched this a few years ago. and i now own it. this movie is SOOOOOOOOOO good! i love love love love love it! it has a great plot twist at the end and it is awesome! /sex/ none. in extended the 2 main characters make out while laying on bed. /violence/ characters randomly look like they jumped onto a superpowered springboard and fly away like airplanes launched off of a rocket launchpad /language/ some brief language such as hell, s--t, D**n, and i think 1 or 2 b---hes. great movie! i reccomend to 10+
4


Posted on 12/09/06 by moviefreak94 Kid contributor, age 12

good movie

good movie. scary parts but to scary. interesting plot. shot almost all in the dark so hard to see.
3


Posted on 05/08/06 by kliz104.1 Kid contributor, age 11
5


Posted on 08/20/05 by queenrachie2 Kid contributor, age 14

I Loved This Movie

This movie was so good! I loved it! Julianna Moore and Gary Snise are such good actors! All over a fabulas movie!
4


Posted on 02/28/05 by jake Kid contributor, age 13

Ok

This movie was ok. It needs a new ending
4


Posted on 02/19/05 by dudeman123 Kid contributor, age 13
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