THE UNFORGIVABLE : Tuesday 30th November 2021.

'THE UNFORGIVABLE' which I saw at my local multiplex earlier this week is an M Rated American and German Co-Produced film Directed by Nora Fingscheidt following 2019's 'System Crasher' which picked up thirty-three wins and another twenty-five nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. This film is based on the 2009 British three-part mini-series 'Unforgiven' by Sally Wainwright, and is Co-Produced by the films star Sandra Bullock and Veronica Ferres. The film went on a limited release from last week before streaming on Netflix from 10th December, and has generated mostly average Reviews.

The film opens up with Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) being given back her belongings and the sum of US$40 upon her release from prison after serving the bulk of her twenty year sentence for the shooting murder of Policeman Mac Whelan (W. Earl Brown) at her home on the outskirts of Seattle, when he arrived to enforce her eviction from her childhood home. She is collected from the prison gates by her parole officer Vincent Cross (Rob Morgan) and deposited at a hostel somewhere near Chinatown where she has to share a room with three other women. Whilst inside, she studied carpentry and has certificates to prove it, and has lined up work on a building site. Cross gives Slater a card from a fish processing plant and a guaranteed job there should things not work out. Needless to say, they don't work out, and so she ends up gutting, boning and prepping salmon to earn a crust and assimilate back into society. She has to report back to Cross every Tuesday at 11:00am, without fail. 

Slater, wants to connect with her much younger sister Katie (Aisling Franciosi) who was only five years of age when she was sent to prison, and has not heard from or seen in the past almost twenty years, despite writing hundreds of letters over the years. Katie seemingly has very little memory of her older sister other than sudden flashbacks of a woman cradling her in her arms. Katie now lives with her adoptive parents Michael and Rachel Malcolm (Richard Thomas and Linda Emond respectively) and their own daughter Emily (Emma Nelson), and has grown to be piano playing prodigy. 

Slater visits a library and goes on-line in an attempt to track down her sister. She decides to visit her old house and the scene of the crime to find that it has been recently purchased and upgraded by John and Liz Ingram (Vincent D'Onofrio and Viola Davis respectively) who now live there with their two teenage sons. Slater is seen standing in the grounds looking at the property by Liz who calls to John to go and investigate who the mystery woman is. Slater tells John that she once worked on the property, and John invites her in to have a look around. As she is about to leave, John offers her a lift to the bus station. In the car they talk and John believes that something is not quite right with Slater. She comes clean and tells him that she in fact lived in the property and has been in 'the system' for the last twenty years and is trying to track down her sister. It turns out that John is a corporate lawyer, and he gives her his business card with an offer to help.

While all this is going on, the two now adult sons of the murdered Policeman, Keith Whelan (Tom Guiry) and Steve Whelan (Will Pullen) are none too pleased that Slater is out and free. Keith wants to exact his revenge on Slater but Steve is dead set against the notion saying that he has a job, a life, a wife and a young child to consider. 

Slater contacts John Ingram and asks for his help in contacting Katie via her parents, and a meeting is set up between the four. Needless to say that meeting doesn't end well with the Malcolm's saying what good would it possibly serve Katie to be reunited with her sister, and Slater going off the rails at the prospect of them standing between Katie and her being reunited after all this time. 

In the meantime, Slater has got a carpenters job at a Chapel that is being converted by a NGO into a Community Hall for the homeless, as well as keeping down her job at the fish processing plant. At the plant she has developed a close relationship with fellow fish gutter Blake (Jon Bernthal), to whom she comes clean one day over a coffee and a plate of pancakes about her prison time and the fact that it was for murder. He is taken aback and distances himself from her, and later blabs about it to one of his fellow co-workers who then beats up Slater in the workplace for being a cop killer. Blake later comes clean telling her that he too is an ex-convict and was released eighteen months ago, and apologises. 

Meanwhile, Liz has learned of Slater's history and is furious at John for keeping this vital piece of news from her. Emily also overheard her parents talking about the pending meeting with Slater and John, and one day when the house is empty rummages through the basement looking for clues. She comes across boxes of the letters written by Slater to Katie which were never given to Katie. One such letter written most recently, contains Slater's mobile phone number. Emily calls Slater and arranges a meeting in a public place. Emily and Slater connect and after a brief chat, Emily tells her that she can see Katie at 4:00pm that afternoon at a piano recital. They part ways and little do the pair know that Steve Whelan is following Emily. Slater meanwhile tries to contact John Ingram to determine if she is legally allowed to visit the concert hall where Katie is playing later that afternoon, but she is told by his office that he is out traveling for the week on business. Slater visits their home again to try and track down John, and is met by Liz who promptly orders Slater off the property and reaffirms that John is away on business. The pair exchange words with Slater proclaiming that Katie was only five years old, and Liz having an 'oh shit' moment! 

Liz drives Slater to the concert hall in time for the 4:00pm recital, when Slater receives a call from Steve Whelan saying that he has Katie, with the sounds of muffled screams in the background. He orders Slater to come over immediately to his place of work. Liz drives Slater there and upon entering the designated building finds Emily tied and bound on the floor with Steve Whelan holding a gun to her head. Meanwhile, Katie has begun her piano recital with her parents looking on in the audience. 

Whelan orders Slater to lay down on the ground and then points the gun at her, saying that he is going to take her life away just as she took his fathers. However, in the final analysis, Whelan can't  go through with his revenge plan, and falls to the ground sobbing. Slater gets up, frees Emily and the pair leave just as the Police arrive, ordering Slater to get down on the ground. She is handcuffed, and Whelan is seen being walked out of the building by two Police Officers also handcuffed. A short time later Cross arrives and states his claim to his parolee and says that unless they intend to charge Slater then she is free to go, and she is. 

Walking back to his car, Michael, Rachel and Katie are by Emily's side as she is being tended to by an Ambulance crew. Slater observes this, Katie turns and the sisters make eye contact. Katie walks up to Slater, and the pair embrace. 

Throughout most of the almost two hour run time, Sandra Bullock's Ruth Slater parades around on screen with a solemn, sullen and scowl faced expression, only twice, from memory, barely breaking into what at best can be described as a smile. Here she is just about as far removed from her 'Miss Congeniality' character as you could imagine, and Viola Davis is completely wasted in the few meagre scenes she is afforded. The plot here clearly worked better as a three-part TV mini-series than it does in a feature length film with the series running for an extra twenty-five minutes in which to flesh out more character development, more of the back story and more of the several plot contrivances which in this film are hurried, all too fleeting, bordering on the nonsensical and with too many questions left unanswered by the time the end credits roll. On the plus side, Bullock, despite her dour expression throughout most of the film, here again proves her acting chops with more dramatic roles as she goes unkempt, sans make-up and portraying a truly broken character seeking redemption. 

'The Unforgivable' merits two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th November 2021.

The 32nd edition of the Stockholm International Film Festival wrapped up on 21st November after twelve days of showcasing a host of one hundred or so feature films, short films and documentaries from around the world, as well as in person and digital conversations with Directors including Kenneth Branagh, Joachim Trier, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Jane Campion and Robin Wright. This years Opening Night film was Pedro Almodovar's 'Parallel Mothers' with the Closing Nights film being Kenneth Branagh's 'Belfast'.  

In competition for the Bronze Horse, which is open to Directors who have made a maximum of three films only, were a selection of sixteen feature films. These were :-

* 'Rhino' - from Ukraine, Germany and Poland and Written and Directed by Oleh Sentsov. During the chaotic 90's in post Soviet Ukraine a rebellious small-time criminal is caught in a spiral of violence and more and more serious crime. He quickly ascends in the criminal hierarchy and is finding it exceedingly more difficult to stop. Winner of the Bronze Horse for Best Film, and the star of the film Serhii Filimonov was awarded the prize for Best Male Actor for his portrayal of the criminal Rhino.

* 'The Hill Where Lionesses Roar' - from Kosovo and France and Written, Directed, Co-Produced and starring Luana Bajrami. Three young women in a remote Kosovan village challenge the status quo as they go out on a tour filled with rebellious behaviour, petty crime and lust for life. The festival's youngest Director, the Kosovan 20-year-old Luana Bajrami, was awarded two Aluminum Horses in the categories Best Debut and Best Screenplay for this film.

* 'Our Men' - from Belgium and France and Written and Directed by Rachel Lang. Maxime and Vlad, two very different men united by the infamous Foreign Legion – a place where men from all over the world seek out a new family and future.

* 'Hive' - from Kosovo, Switzerland and Albania and Written and Directed by Blerta Basholli. This true story centres on Fahrije, who lost her husband and had to start her own business to survive. Due to the conservative views of her hometown, she is met with disapproval from the citizens.

* 'Feathers' - from Egypt, Netherlands, Greece and France and Co-Written and Directed by Omar El Zohairy. Somewhere between an absurd comedy and social realism we take part in a passive mother’s journey to take on a whole new role in the family after her husband accidentally is transformed into a chicken during a kids magic show.

* 'Miracle' - from Romania, Czech Republic and Latvia and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Bogdan George Apetri. Two individuals - the first is Cristina, a nun who sneaks out from her monastery on urgent business but is instead faced with an unexpected turn of events. The second is Marius, a detective who is trying to get to the bottom of what happened to Cristina by following in her footsteps. 

* 'Luzzu' - from Malta and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Alex Camilleri. Jesmark, a hard-working fisherman must turn his back on generations of tradition and risk everything by joining the black market to make ends meet and support his wife and newborn.

* 'Prayers for the Stolen' - from Mexico, Germany, Brazil and Qatar and Written and Directed by Tatiana Huezo. Nine-year-olds Ana, Maria and Paula live in a Mexican mountain village where corn fields coexist with violence and drug trafficking. The rule of the cartels affects everyone, and to make the girls unattractive to kidnappers, Ana's mother cuts their hair in short hairstyles. As the violence draws closer, the three friends create a refuge in an abandoned house. Tatiana Huezo was awarded an Aluminum Horse for Best Director.

* 'Jockey' - from the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Clint Bentley. A jockey, at the end of his career, has to come to terms with his ageing and problematic lifestyle he’s been keeping during many years of strenuous competitive riding. As he is preparing for his last competition he is contacted by a young jockey claiming to be his son.

* 'A Chiara' - from Italy, France and the USA and Written and Directed by Jonas Carpignano. The Guerrasio family is in the middle of an extravagant birthday party as uninvited guests show up in the neighbourhood. The father of the family flees the scene without explanation. While looking for answers to explain the father’s disappearance, family secrets are revealed. Film Photographer Tim Curtin was awarded the Best Photo.

* 'Ballad of a White Cow' - from Iran and France and Written and Directed by Maryam Moghadam & Behtash Sanaeeha. Mina, grieving without a husband in conservative Iran because he was innocently executed, is isolated both socially and professionally. She is busy with the responsibility of maintaining the everyday life of her daughter and, at the same time, dealing with the unfair sentence her husband was subjected to.

* 'Ted K' - from the USA and Directed and Co-Produced by Tony Stone and starring Sharlto Copley. Professor Ted Kaczynski lives in a cabin in the woods of Montana without electricity and running water, totally isolated. As his beard grows, so does his hatred for how society relies on and worships technology. Seeds of radicalisation are slowly planted in the mind of the man who’s about to become the most hunted man in America.

* 'True Things' - from the UK and Directed and Co-Written by Harry Wootliff and starring Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke and Hayley Squires. Kate lives a monotonous life in a sleepy British coastal town when she meets charismatic Blonde, a meeting that quickly leads to a relationship. Kate, drunk on infatuation, is soon obsessed with his sporadic acts of attention, and the relationship quickly becomes destructive. Ruth Wilson was awarded Best Actress.

* 'Azor' - from Switzerland, France and Argentina and Directed and Co-Written by Andreas Fontana. A Swiss banker brings his wife to Argentina, in the middle of the military juntas strict rule, to cover up for his business partner who suddenly disappeared. Is he there to ensure the wealthy clients that their money and privileges are in safe hands or is he looking for the truth?

* 'Small Body' - from Italy, France and Slovenia and Co-Written and Directed by Laura Samani. During the early 1900's a young woman seeks out a mysterious church that claims to be able to resurrect her stillborn child.

* 'Clara Sola' - from Sweden, Costa Rica, Belgium and Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Nathalie Alvarez Mesen. The 40-year-old, withdrawn Clara lives with her family in a small abandoned Costa Rican mountain town, under the wings of an overprotective matriarch. Clara is said to have contact with God, and with her inherent healing powers, she helps the religious locals.

For the full details of the other category award winners - the Stockholm Documentary Competition, the Stockholm Short Film Competition, the FIPRESCI Prize, the Rising Star Award and the the World's Shortest Short Film Award, plus a whole lot more besides, you can visit the official website at : https://www.stockholmfilmfestival.se/en

This week we have seven latest release new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, and kick starting the weeks cinematic offerings is the sequel to a Marvel Comics character that sees Eddie Brock as he attempts to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady, who becomes the host of a new chaotic symbiote and escapes prison after a failed execution. This is followed up by a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who takes a job to bring a man's young son home, and away from his alcoholic mother. Next up, a cranky, retired author reluctantly embarks on a final book tour to help out a young publisher. Then we have an acclaimed French offering that following a series of unexplained crimes, a father is reunited with the son who has been missing for ten years. Following on from this is a story of a woman who is released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime and re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past; before closing out the week with two family oriented films, the first is an origin story of Father Christmas, as an ordinary boy sets out on an extraordinary adventure to find his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of Elfhelm; and we close out the week with a computer animated offering that is a sequel to a 2017 film that when a vicious professor attempts to destroy childhoods, the Boss Baby sets out on a mission to put a stop to his plans.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the seven latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'VENOM : LET THERE BE CARNAGE' (Rated M) - Directed by Andy Serkis, this American superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character Venom and is a sequel to 2018's 'Venom' which grossed US$856M off the back of a production budget of US$110M. Andy Serkis will need little introduction as an acclaimed Actor in his own right, but as a Director he has helmed 'Breathe' in 2017, then 'Mowgli : Legend of the Jungle' in 2018 as well as being the Second Unit Director on all three of Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit' trilogy in 2012, 2013 and 2014. Originally slated for an early October 2020 release, this film was subsequently pushed back several times throughout 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with an advanced screening in London in mid-September before its wide release in the US from 1st October. The film has so far grossed US$455M off the back of a budget of US$110M and has garnered mixed or average Reviews from critics. A third film is apparently in the works and Andy Serkis has expressed his desire to return to Direct. 

Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) is still struggling to coexist with the shape-shifting alien symbiote Venom. When deranged serial killer Cletus Kasady (Woody Harrelson) also becomes host to an alien symbiote that is the chaotic spawn of Venom, and escapes from prison, Brock and Venom must put aside their differences to stop his reign of terror. Also starring Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott and Stephen Graham.

'CRY MACHO' (Rated M) - this American neo-Western drama film is Directed, Co-Produced and stars Clint Eastwood and is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by N. Richard Nash. The film was made on a budget of US$33M and has so far grossed US$13M following its release Stateside in mid-September to mixed or average Reviews so far. Here then, Mike Milo (Clint Eastwood), a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who, in 1979, takes a job from an ex-boss to bring the man's young son Rafo (Eduardo Minett) home from Mexico. Forced to take the backroads on their way to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman finds unexpected connections and his own sense of redemption. Also starring Dwight Yoakam and Natalia Traven.

'BEST SELLERS' (Rated M) - is a comedy drama film Directed by Lina Roessler in her feature film making debut having Directed three short films since 2014, although as an Actress she has thirty-five screen acting roles to her credit. Lucy Stanbridge (Aubrey Plaza) has inherited her father's publishing house, but the ambitious would-be editor has nearly sunk it with failing titles. She discovers she is owed a book by Harris Shaw (Michael Caine), a reclusive, cantankerous, booze-addled author who originally put the company on the map decades earlier. In a last-ditch effort to save it, Lucy and Harris release his new book and embark on a tour from hell that changes them both in ways they didn't expect. Also starring Scott Speedman, Cary Elwes and Veronica Ferres, the film was released in the US and Canada in mid-September having been in the official selection at this years Berlin International Film Festival in early March, although it didn't have its planned World Premier screening at this festival because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions at the time. 

'TITANE' (Rated R18+) - is a 2021 body horror film Written and Directed by Julia Ducournau in only her second feature film making outing following the highly acclaimed 'Raw' in 2016. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-July this year where Ducournau became only the second female Director to win the Palme d'Or, the festival's top award, as well as the first female filmmaker to win solo. It has also been selected as the French entry for the Best International Feature Film at next years Academy Awards. As a child, Alexia (Adele Guigue) is involved in a car accident that leaves her with a head injury. When she emerges from surgery with a titanium plate, she seems to have a strange emotional and visceral connection to cars. Years later, Alexia (Agathe Rousselle in her feature film debut) works as an exotic dancer at motor shows where she writhes provocatively on automobiles, to a leering male audience. When one man harasses her, he is swiftly dispatched, kicking off a series of murders. But just as the violence ratchets up, Alexia takes on the role of a long-missing son Adrien, of firefighter Vincent (Vincent Lindon). Released in its native France and Belgium in July this year, the film has so far taken US$4.5M at the Box Office and has generated mostly positive Reviews. 

'THE UNFORGIVABLE' (Rated M) - this American and German Co-Produced film is Directed by Nora Fingscheidt following 2019's 'System Crasher' which picked up thirty-three wins and another twenty-five nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. This film is based on the 2009 British three-part mini-series 'Unforgiven' by Sally Wainwright, and is Co-Produced by the films star Sandra Bullock and Veronica Ferres. Released from prison after serving a sentence for a violent crime, Ruth Slater (Sandra Bullock) re-enters a society that refuses to forgive her past. Facing severe judgment from the place she once called home, her only hope for redemption is finding the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind. Also starring Jon Bernthal, Vincent D'Onofrio, Viola Davis, Richard Thomas, Aisling Franciosi and Rob Morgan, this film goes on a limited release from this week before streaming on Netflix from 10th December. 

'A BOY CALLED CHRISTMAS' (Rated PG) - is a British Christmas fantasy film Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Gil Kenan whose prior film making credits take in 'Monster House' in 2006, 'City of Ember' in 2008 and 'Poltergeist' in 2015. This film is based on the 2015 book of the same name by Matt Haig. Here then, an ordinary young lad, Nikolas (Henry Lawfull) sets out on an adventure into the snowy north in search of his father who is on a quest to discover the fabled village of the elves, Elfhelm. Taking with him a headstrong reindeer called Blitzen and a loyal pet mouse Miika (voiced by Stephen Merchant), Nikolas soon meets his destiny. Also starring Jim Broadbent, Sally Hawkins, Toby Jones, Maggie Smith, Kristen Wiig, Michiel Huisman and Joel Fry. 

'THE BOSS BABY : FAMILY BUSINESS' (Rated PG) - this is the second instalment in this seemingly popular American computer animated franchise that is the sequel to 2017's 'The Boss Baby' which grossed US$528M off the back of a US$125M production budget. Like the first film ,here Tom McGrath returns to the Director's chair, and his previous film making credits include his debut 'Madagascar' in 2005, then 'Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa' in 2008, and 'Madagascar 3 : Europe's Most Wanted' in 2012 with 'Magamind' in between in 2010, and now this new franchise of two films and counting, with a third in the early stages of development apparently. Now adults, Tim Templeton (voiced by James Marsden) is a stay-at-home Dad for two adorable daughters Tina (voiced by Amy Sedaris) and Tabitha (voiced by Ariana Greenblatt), while his estranged brother, Ted (voiced by Alec Baldwin), is a big-shot CEO. They come together in an unexpected way when they take a magical formula that transforms them into babies for 48 hours. Joining forces with Tim's secret-agent daughter, they must go under cover to prevent an evil genius Dr. Erwin Armstrong (voiced by Jeff Goldblum) from turning fellow toddlers into monstrous brats. The film was released in the US in early July, has so far grossed US$128M from a budget of US$82M and has generated mostly unfavourable critical Reviews, whereas audiences have said the opposite. 

With seven new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-