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Parents' Guide to

Remember Sunday

By Joyce Slaton, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Inoffensive romance coasts on the charm of its leads.

Movie PG 2013 96 minutes
Remember Sunday Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 11+

Based on 1 parent review

wonder dove
wonder dove Adult
November 26, 2013
age 11+

A touching, romantic film. See it!!!

Remember Sunday is an excellent romantic drama. It definitely caught me by surprise as it's a made-for-TV Hallmark PG movie, without the cliche drinking/drugs/violence so it's very appropriate for the younger crowd but it's also mature and not sappy, so adults will enjoy as well. It's basically about a waitress (Alexis Bledel) who's down on her luck and doesn't make enough money and can never find the right guy, she has also been waiting ages to get her share of her aunt's inheritance. One day she meets a friendly upbeat man who's also a jewelery store clerk named Gus (Zachary Levi) in the diner she works at. There's something about Gus that attracts Molly but she also can't figure him out. He's quirky, down to earth and adventurous - but that's not all, he also has short-term memory loss from a brain aneurysm but struggles to tell Molly in case it turns her off. His sister, who is very close to him, arranges a brilliant plan where Gus can document his conversations with others, pictures and phone calls on his computer to help him remember, because each and every day of his life he must start from scratch and fall in love with Molly all over again. The acting was absolutely fantastic. The ending was very refreshing, just when you thought it would be a cliche it had that nice little twist which kept it original. Great cast! The language is tame and includes jerk, cr@p, d@mn. There is zero violence except for a couple arguments. Sexual content is also mild with a few kissing scenes, one rather passionate but quick. Talk about a divorce & a past engagement. Surprisingly no drinking or smoking. Good messages and role models. Perfect for 11 and up!!!
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What's the Story?

Molly (Alexis Bledel) is a perpetually short-on-cash waitress who one day waits on an unusual customer: He carries thick scientific textbooks, he records his thoughts on a portable mini-recorder, and he seems just generally out of it. When she meets Gus (Zachary Levi), he's sweet and charming, but also weird and preoccupied. What gives? Does he have another girlfriend or something? No. What Gus has is a brain injury that prevents him from making short-term memories. Each day he wakes up not knowing where he is, and he can no longer work as an astrophysicist. Though he can navigate daily life, he can't connect with other people. Can Gus and Molly's romance succeed against the odds?

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (1 ):

There's genuine pathos in the idea of a truly, irrevocably damaged person who's desperate to connect and Zachary Levi is a good enough actor to make you care about Gus' dilemma. Though memory loss is a bit of a shopworn cinematic cliche (see: Overboard, 50 First Dates), thanks to the fine performances in Remember Sunday, it actually grabs the viewer and gives this lightweight romance something to grab onto.

For a while Gus manages to fool Molly into thinking he's a normal guy by taking notes and reading his "Molly" file every morning. When she eventually finds out the truth, the couple both fasten their hopes on an experimental surgery that might restore Gus' memory. Just when the viewer's ready for the movie to have a big, dramatic, unrealistic happy ending, the movie subverts it, but ends happily, if more realistically, than you expected. It's a pleasing twist to a movie that mostly coasts on the appeal of its leads.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why this movie was made. Hallmark is best known for making greeting cards. Why would a greeting card company want to make romantic TV movies?

  • Is the audience supposed to root for Gus and Molly's romance? What about these characters' dialogue, costumes, or other aspects of their characterization brings you to this conclusion?

  • In real life, would Molly decide to stay with Gus? Why or why not?

Movie Details

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