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Undescribable Perfection

A different way of telling a story

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This film broke my heart! Although I don't like the fact that David tried to break up the relationship of his best friend and his girlfriend, the ending was still devastating because after confessing his love for Theo, he didn't get the response he had hoped for. Theo reunited with his girlfriend, beat up David and left him alone. They probably won't keep in contact anymore. What a way to lose someone you've loved for 14 years. But then again, I guess if Theo reacted that way he didn't deserve David's friendship anyway. No one should have to go through so much suffering for coming out for who they really are and admitting whom they really love! As always, John Simm was brilliant as Theo and somehow managed to make me love him even more and then love to hate him in the end for treating his friend that way. Stay awesome, John! Steve John Shepherd was amazing as David and really touched my heart with his performance. I could feel his pain by looking at his eyes.Perhaps not a first-class film, production-wise, but emotional and touching, with a great set of cast!

FORGIVE AND FORGET was originally written by Mark Burt and directed by Aisling Walsh as a TV movie aimed at a straight audience in the UK. That fact is important to remember as it makes this excellent film more credible to the audience that is finding it negative. The world at large remains homophobic as is evident not only in the US with all the measures before the voting public about gay rights, but also with the unrelenting gay bashing around the world in virtually every country. FORGIVE AND FORGET attempts to defuse some of that irrational behavior, yet sadly it only succeeds on some levels: some are still either incredulous that this story could happen and end the way it does while others quietly nod in recognition of a an atmosphere that remains essentially unchanged with the apparent passage of time's enlightenment.Working class plasterer David (Steve John Shepherd) and perennial student Theo (John Simm) have been best friends (mates) for fourteen years, David the larger of the two being Theo's protector and defender. They are devoted to each other in the best sense of the word. Theo begins seeing artist Hannah (Laura Fraser) who is still recovering from a broken relationship with an unfaithful guy. As the couple's relationship intensifies, David sees his mate moving away from him emotionally, a fact that is made more difficult due to the fact that David is a closeted gay man, still living with his virulently homophobic parents, and in truth is deeply in love with Theo. Theo tries to bring David into his new life with Hannah, but David resists, begins having meaningless sexual encounters in Soho, and gradually finds ways to weaken Theo and Hannah's new relationship by playing on Hannah's insecurities. David's attempts at finding time together with Theo result in weakening Hannah's trust and she leaves Theo. As the truths of David's desperate attempts to retain Theo to himself become apparent, Theo questions David's motives. David, unable to talk with anyone, opts for going on a popular UK confessional TV show ('Forgive and Forget') where he admits he is gay and declares his love for Theo, a public announcement that results not only in David's being disowned by his parents but also in being beaten bloody by Theo, a sad dénouement stopped only by Hannah's intrusion during the beating. The only positive aspect of David's public confessional is that at last he is free of the lie he has been living, and though he has seemingly lost everything, he at last has some peace of mind - a tragically confessed happiest day of his life.The cast is homogenously excellent, but the quality of acting by the exceedingly handsome and charismatic Steve John Shepherd and by John Simm and Laura Fraser is exceptional. Whether the audience is deeply disturbed by this film or closely aligns with its message, the film as an artwork cannot be faulted. It is a brave little movie that dares to hold a mirror up to the audience, hopefully enlightening at least a few as to the perpetuated homophobia that maligns the lives of many citizens. Recommended viewing. Grady Harp

This 2000 made for TV film is a sham for gay people. It promotes gay bashing, degrades coming out and gives homosexuals a dated persecuted life style. I could have sworn when I saw this trite work, it must have been done in 1960. For certainly gay issues deserve better than this dribble. The fault lies in the writing and directing. Mark Burt writes a trivial and lack-less script with absolutely no compassion for any of the major characters. Aisling Walsh, a woman, directs with no understanding of how to bring any hope to her leading players. She certainly has no understanding of gay life. If she herself is gay, than shame on her. If not, she needs to go to a gay bar or march in a gay pride day parade and surround herself with today's gay people.The actors do what they can to give believability to this nonsense. Steve John Shepherd plays the young man tortured over his homosexuality. Afraid to come out to his best friend and to his parents. Why he chooses to do so in such a public way, beats me. But he does. I'll say no more as to the outcome and let you see for yourself. Believe me, you won't be surprised. John Simm, hardly, in my eyes, worth all the suffering, is the attraction to Shepherd as his best friend. Simm has his own demons to deal with. And again, you really don't care. He earns his oats. As the unsympathetic and sometimes just down right annoying girl-friend to Simm, Laura Fraser is a real possessive bitch (can I say that word?) A control freak, she deserves losing any guy who would put up with her antics and games. I was hoping she'd lose the guy in the end. Again, see what happens yourself. Again, no surprise.Then there are the parents that contradict themselves all over the place. An overbearing dad, played by Maurice Roeves, knows nothing but anger and screams through most of the film. What's with this guy? Sometimes overacting, he suddenly has all this tear jerking at the end? And you don't believe it anyway. "Let him go", says he. I would have been gone from this dad a long time ago. And the mother, played by Ger Ryan, sits and bakes pies. Probes her son most of the time to see what's wrong and when she discovers the truth, over public TV, completely disowns him. She begs him to be honest and then slaps him in the face. Give me a break.I liked Shepherd's work in this and wish he could have had a decent venue to work with. For he gave the most convincing performance. Simm was one level, Fraser was just awful as were the parents.I give this dated movie a 2 star for Shepherd's performance attempt.

Don't expect to feel comfortable or be warmed by a Hollywood ending.Do expect a well-acted fable about the dangers of falling in love with your best friend and how pursuing that love and destroy your friendship. 'How do you tell someone you love them?' 'Just tell them and hope they believe you.' The added closet homosexual existence of one of the friends, and relationship with his family, makes matters more complex.You are pretty much left to make your own conclusions from the ending. I will be watching this movie again.Also there are some novel south of the Thames (London) locations.