Everyone has had one person in their lives that has truly made a difference above all the rest. This is the basis for Netflix’s original movie The Unforgivable. The Unforgivable takes place in Seattle, Washington, 20 years after a life-changing incident when Ruth Slater, the main character, was released from prison.  

Based on a 2009 mini television series, Unforgiven, The Unforgivable sets the scene with Slater getting her first job at a fish market, which was a clean slate for her after the 20 years she spent in prison. During Slater’s first few weeks living outside of prison, she struggled with mental and emotional changes. Due to her parole agreement, she was sent to live in a women’s shelter where her stuff was constantly riffled through. She got in close contact with her parole officer to guide her to success because of the agreement. Ruth had no contact with her family for 20 years, so she sought to find her little sister Katie, who was adopted after Ruth was sent to jail because there was nobody left to take care of her. 

Ruth Slater is outstandingly played by the famous Sandra Bullock. Bullock is a famous Hollywood actor and now a household name because of the many movies she has starred in, such as The Proposal, Miss Congeniality, Bird Box, and The Net. Bullock’s acting is very diverse. In some movies, you will see her dolled up as a bride on her wedding day, while in others you will see her as tough as nails. Sandra Bullock, Neli Kastrinos, and Aisling Francios, Kastrinos and Francios both play Katie, do an exquisite job of carrying the connection of the two throughout the movie. 

Katie and Ruth’s scene at the very end of the movie has to be my all-time favorite. As Katie walked up to Ruth, the two sisters’ eyes longingly stared at one another until they finally folded into each other’s arms, and everything else in the world seemed to fade away. This scene was very emotional to the audience because the actresses portrayed the sad and vulnerable emotions very well. While this was their first time seeing eachother, I wished there was more contact between the two. However, it drew more attention to the end of the movie because of the distance, so it could have gone either way. This movie’s plot was like a maze. I was so lost towards the beginning of the movie; however while the movie progresses and all the truth was told, it all made perfect sense.

The message of this film was very clear. It is simply about family and the goals we want to achieve. Ruth and Katie were best friends, and Ruth did everything in her power to protect and raise Katie for the first five years of Katie’s life. Even though Katie was adopted and Ruth was not able to see Katie for 20 years, Ruth made it her top priority to find her and rekindle their relationship. 

The Unforgivable is rated R for its abundance of vulgar language and the violence that takes place throughout the movie. This might turn away the younger viewers, as I would not recommend this to young teenagers and below. However, I strongly believe that this movie’s incredible storyline makes it a must-watch at some point in everyone’s life. This is due to the remarkable influence that it teaches you throughout the whole film, which I believe will inspire many individuals. Overall, this film is incredible, and you will not regret watching it. 

5 out of 5 

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