Review: 'The Unforgivable' very forgettable

Netflix, 2021.

Sandra Bullock flexes her dramatic muscles in the deeply troubling and mostly forgettable drama, "The Unforgivable."

Grade: C

A jumbled series of flashbacks explain why Ruth (Bullock) was imprisoned for over 20 years, and is now being released as the film starts. A beloved sheriff was killed, and Ruth took the full blame for the crime. The officer had been caught up in a situation involving Ruth's younger sister, Katherine (Aisling Franciosi), whom Ruth had sole custody of. Once returning to the free world, Ruth is explicitly told by her parole officer (Rob Morgan) not to have contact with Katherine.

She of course returns to the scene of the crime, a home now occupied by a lawyer (Vincent D'Onofrio) and his wife (Viola Davis), both unaware of the crime that had been committed involving their home. His occupation is convenient enough, as he eventually lends his help.

The drama gets mucked up and convoluted from there, and the cold, vile vibe of the movie becomes a drag to navigate through. Sure, Bullock is a fine actress and shows off her range in a complex role, but "The Unforgivable" doesn't quite pack the punch it promises.
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Grade: C

Genre: Crime, Drama.
Run Time: 1 hour 52 minutes.
Rated R.

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Rob Morgan, Viola Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jon Bernthal, Emma Nelson.

Directed by Nora Fingscheidt ("System Crasher," "Bruderlein").

"The Unforgivable" is streaming on Netflix on Friday, December 10th, 2021.