New movies to stream this week: ‘The Unforgivable,’ ‘The Forever Prisoner’ and more
Sandra Bullock delivers a stoic performance of slow-burning intensity in the drama “The Unforgivable,” playing Ruth Slater, a woman recently paroled after serving 20 years for a violent crime. Produced by Bullock - who knows a meaty role when she sees one - the film is capably directed by German filmmaker Nora Fingscheidt, based on Sally Wainwright’s BAFTA-nominated 2009 British TV miniseries “Unforgiven.” But slow-burning intensity and stoicism only get you so far, in a story that, despite a late, pretty good twist, never seems to get out of third gear. There are strong supporting performances in this story about the difficulties of reentering society after a criminal conviction: Rob Morgan, as Ruth’s parole officer; Jon Bernthal, as the nice guy with a past who befriends Ruth at the fish-packing plant; Vincent D’Onofrio, as the lawyer from whom she seeks help to reconnect with a family member; and Viola Davis, as the lawyer’s mistrustful wife, who suspects all is not kosher with Ruth’s intent. All in all, it’s a solid, if less-than-sensational tale of endurance, love and self-sacrifice. R. Available on Netflix. Contains crude language and violence. 114 minutes.
- - ALSO STREAMING: From prolific documentarian Alex Gibney, “The Forever Prisoner” tells the story of Abu Zubaida, the first highvalue prisoner in the socalled War on Terror to be subjected to what has became known as “enhanced interrogation” by the CIA. The film’s subject matter will remind viewers of such documentaries as Errol Morris’s “Standard Operating Procedure” and Gibney’s own Oscar-winner, “Taxi to the Dark Side,” according to the Hollywood Reporter: “Nothing in ‘The Forever Prisoner’ feels all that revelatory, but the thing that’s essential in the doc is the reminder that for all of the story’s familiarity, it reflects a situation that has been barely ameliorated over more than a decade.” TVMA. Available on HBO Max. 120 minutes. --Sam Worthington stars in the Western drama “The Last Son” as Isaac Lemay, a 19th-century outlaw hunting down family members to prevent a prophecy in which he’s murdered by his own kin. Colson Baker (aka Machine Gun Kelly) plays Isaac’s son, and Thomas Jane is a lawman in pursuit. R. Available on Redbox on Demand. Contains violence throughout, some sexual material, nudity and strong language. 96 minutes.
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