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Absolutely Fantastic

I cannot think of one single thing that I would change about this film. The acting is incomparable, the directing deft, and the writing poignantly brilliant.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Very slow in the beginning, but gets moving later in the film. It is worth watching.

I REALLY liked this movie. In fact, I liked it so much, I watched it twice back to back. I have a hard time sitting still for ONE movie, much less watching ONE movie twice. THAT is how GOOD this movie is.The first time, I had a hard time understanding everything that was happening. I am not THAT familiar with the history of South Africa, nor can I speak Afrikaans. So it took two viewings to really understand the story.I thought the acting was superb!

I for one didn't know much of the Apartheid 'era' (for want of a better word), but found his film to be a raw and confronting telling of the draconian state of affairs predominately black South Africans were forced to suffer through.Whitaker's performance was flawless. Bana's was solid. That last scene in the court room was bloody gripping. Part of me would have liked to have seen Bana break at some point but I was left satisfied enough at how his story ended up being told.It's not one you'd plan your night around but I felt it had enough grit and intrigue to earn its rating.

It's one of Forest Whitaker's best performances (but not his best). Similar to Gary Oldman's Oscar winning performance in The Darkest Hour, Whitaker is so engulfed as Desmond Tutu, thanks to both being a great actor and to some make up effects that you forget it's Forest Whitaker (Well, until you see the lazy eye). I must say, although I know who Tutu is I never seen a picture of him and upon seeing one I'm indifferent about the make up effects as it makes Tutu seem like an ugly man, but once again, it's about Whitaker's metamorphism.The Forgiven is about Tutu after Apartheid ended, under the request of Nelson Mandela, headed up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. During this time he's summoned by a dangerous criminal, played by Eric Bana, to a prison he's in, in hopes of getting clemency for his crimes. Eric Bana as dangerous criminal, Bloomfield could have used more screen time to be a better adversary for Whitaker's Tutu, it would have just enhanced both performances greatly.Once again, the Forgiven makes me indifferent about knowledge of other cultures, seeing how black people have so much in common in many different countries, and how I wish some of those similarities were on the positive (but still worth learning). Though I feel like I learned something about the aftermath of Apartheid and Desmond Tutu (enough to make me want to learn more), the movie is not the best film. It's very formulated and easy to predict. The real shinning light is Forest Whitaker truly becoming someone else on camera.