Rated: MA15+
Directed and Written by: John Michael McDonagh
Based on the Book Written by: Lawrence Osborne
Produced by: John Michael McDonagh, Elizabeth Eves, Trevor Matthews, Nick Gordon
Starring: Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Matt Smith, Chris Abbott, Caleb Laundry Jones.
‘Interesting in a good way? Or interesting in a bad way?’
A speed boat takes husband and wife, David (Ralph Fiennes) and Jo Henninger (Jessica Chastain) towards the coastline of Tangier, Morocco.
It’s an unhappy interaction, Jo tapping her chin as they toss comments back and forth; well-oiled insults disguised as a battle of wits.
They’re on their way to Richard’s (Matt Smith) Moroccan indulgence – a walled castle in the middle of the Saharan desert for a weekend of partying, joined by old-school pals and others known from the, Club.
David’s been drinking all day. He embraces the comment from Jo that he’s a highly-functioning alcoholic, commenting, the, ‘high functioning should negate the alcoholic.’
David, an English surgeon, is an abrasive, stubborn man, tolerated by his beautiful wife, a published writer of children’s books.
Drunk and lost in the dark desert, their insolent tolerance of each other is interrupted when a young boy (Omar Ghazaoui) is suddenly in the headlights of their car before he goes down.
Guests already at the party wonder what has happened to the Henningers? As they drink and dance and revel in the beginnings of their hedonist weekend.
It’s the building tension of, The Forgiven that kept me at the edge of my seat, the film starting with red font credits, hinting of what’s to come.
There’s tension between husband and wife, David and Jo, driving in darkness, lost. A tension in the conflict of cultures as the Moroccan staff cater to the taboo gay couple, Richard and his ‘side-piece’ Dally Margolis (Caleb Landry Jones). Morning tea is served in rooms of naked men. Richard is a character that understands the nature of things. He is shameless, none-the-less.
Eventually the hosts are told of the dilemma. A local boy is dead. They will call the Moroccan police. It will be OK. No-one wants a fuss. It was an accident.
Richard explains, you just need to be overwhelmingly contrite.
‘If it’s absolutely necessary,’ replies David.
And then the boy’s father (Ismael Kanater) arrives at the gate.
Instead of the expected black mail, the father wants David to return home with him to bury his son.
Reluctantly, David goes.
More surprising, he goes without too much fuss, no-one really knowing if he’ll come back.
And with him gone, the weekend can continue.
Based on the novel written by Lawrence Osborne, the complicated idea of this abrasive Englishman willing to leave with the nomadic father of the boy he has just killed is the beginning of the unpacking of his complicated nature.
Each character is revealed as the weekend continues with witty dialogue and silence amongst the dust and heat in contrast to the fireworks and drinking and lounging about a mirage in the desert become real.
The bourgeoise nature of the characters are honest in their debauchery, a contrast to the local Moroccans as they live with nothing but their children and fossils they dig up to sell to tourists.
And now, a father taking David back to his home to bury his only child.
The narrative is gripping in its revelation, the scenery beautiful and stark, a rose in a box of soaps can almost be smelt, the heat of the desert vibrates as David is driven to his unknown fate.
The backstory of each character has been translated into the film using the clear-eyed dialogue of its characters:
‘A woman without discretion is like a pig with a gold ring through its nose.’
‘You should open a Twitter account,’ the Moroccan staff laugh.
Like McDonagh’s previous films, greatly enjoyed and included in my, ‘If you haven’t watched, you’re in for a treat’, list: ‘The Guard (2011)’ and ‘Calvary (2014)’, The Forgiven is a quality film that will stay with you.
