The first thing one should know heading into Unforgettable, starring Katherine Heigl and Rosario Dawson, is that all seriousness should be left at the door.
This film is not worthy of any kind of serious discussions after over a slice of pie, delving deep into its statements on feminism or the state of the world for women when it comes to sharing the duties of raising a child while one or either of the exes pursues a serious relationship with a partner who the child does not call mommy or daddy. It’s just not that type of entertainment.
What it is is an outrageous, guilty pleasure ridden, future cult classic, Lifetime movie-ish story of how Dawson’s Julia leaves her Northern California life behind to move in to the Los Angeles home of her beau, David (Geoff Stults). He is co-parenting Lily (Isabella Kai Rice) with his ex-wife Tessa (Heigl). Things are going swimmingly for all those involved and at first, Tessa gives the new woman in their lives a chance at happiness.
But in private, the ex-wife is prying into Julia’s past and trying to find something that will discredit her to David. There is much there, she is a survivor of domestic abuse and yes, it still haunts her daily. This will come into play as our plot thickens, but it is never done in a way that exploits the horrors that is domestic abuse. What it also does, is never quite raise the issue in such a way that champions survivors of this plight. That is, until Julia is pushed too far and has to fight for her right to enjoy happiness.
All involved are keenly aware of what film they are appearing in. Nobody tackles their roles without an unspoken wink at the camera. This is camp on steroids. Heigl has the most fun. It has been years since she appeared in a movie that had us truly enjoying ourselves. She takes psycho to a place that is quite unique. It is not baseless. Her mother (Cheryl Ladd, love seeing her working again) is a piece of work and the apple does not fall far from the tree here. Ladd and Heigl must have done quite a bit of pre-production work together as that is why it is easy for us to sympathize with Tessa in many ways. She is an unwilling nut job. It is how she is wired and subsequently raised. Tessa is expected to be perfect and when that perfection is not achieved or she does not gets the results she wants out of a situation, instead of looking inward and determining how to adjust her methods to achieve a more positive outcome, she amps up the crazy believing that is the means from which to get what she wants.
Dawson is charming, although we wish she was given the chance to show off her talents in a movie more esteemed that Unforgettable. She plays the victim quite well here, but also manages to channel some serious strength as a woman who triumphed over domestic abuse, only to be challenged by an ex-wife who is not quite ready to let go of her husband and their supposed idyllic life.
Yes, Unforgettable is absolutely ridiculous at many points. Once again, nobody believes that what they’re giving audiences is anything but a tongue-in-cheek tale of two women, fighting over a man and subsequently a cheerful way of life.
As long as you know that is exactly what you’re buying a ticket for, than some serious enjoyment can ensue. In fact, if Unforgettable is a flick you are seeking out, we could not recommend witnessing it on the big screen with a huge crowd of people more. It is participatory cinema in that at our screening, much yelling and oohs and ahhhs were heard throughout as the action ebbed and flowed.
Grade: C