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Academy Award (R) winner* Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana deliver riveting performances in this tense thriller based on real events. When Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Whitaker) is appointed to head a nationwide investigation, he's summoned to a maximum-security prison by a notorious murderer seeking clemency (Bana). Inside the brutal prison walls, Tutu is drawn into a dangerous, life-changing battle with the cunning criminal in this captivating film from Oscar (R) nominated director** Roland Joffé.
Rating
R (for disturbing/violent content, and language throughout including some sexual references)
Director
Roland Joffé
Studio
Saban Films
Writer
Roland Joffé, Michael Ashton
  • menurut saya sih ini pantes lah dapet oscar, masa-masa kelam era apartheid yang sadis. masing-masing karakter kuat banget, dialognya renyaah!
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  • menurut saya sih ini pantes lah dapet oscar, masa-masa apartheid yang sadis. dari awal sampe akhir 2 orang ini bener2 awesome karakternya.. dialognya cihuy lah
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  • I guess you have to be South African to understand the significance and poignance of this movie. Powerful beyond words and beautifully shot. The reviews just make me hate movie critics even more. Seriously, take no notice of them.
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  • "So many secrets, it's like a cancer." Powerful words from Archbishop Desmond Tutu that aptly summarise a country on its knees in the 1990s. At the end of the 20th century, South Africa was emerging from 43 years of Apartheid, a national system that involved high level racial segregation and discrimination, mainly to the disadvantage of Black ethnic groups. In the years that led up to the turn of the century, mass change was occurring in the state. One Nelson Mandela was leading the country with the backing of the African National Congress Party and Archbishop Desmond Tutu chairing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, an organisation that offered amnesty and forgiveness for those individuals who confessed about committing racial crimes. It is at this moment The Forgiven begins.It's 1993. Archbishop Desmond Tutu (Forest Whitaker) has been summoned to the cell block of race hate murderer Piet Bloomfeld (Eric Bana), who has requested the minister's presence in an attempt to seek a pardon for the crimes of his past. Confessing that the prisoner's offences are too severe to be granted forgiveness from the state, Tutu offers the convict a chance to record a detailed confession that will bring justice to the families who lost loved ones at his hand. Initially refusing, Bloomfeld turns the Archbishop away after explaining to him why he hates those of differing ethnicities, and returns to his cell to face his own battles against resident gangs in the prison. In captivating scenes of dialogue between the two men, a narrative begins to emerge about the scars under Bloomfeld's skin and how Tutu can offer a path to redemption whilst interpreting the racial misconceptions in the minds of half a nation.In a picture that leaves no stone unturned when it comes to amplifying the genuine racial division and hatred in South Africa, both Whitaker and Bana give outstanding performances of the highest calibre. The level of accuracy in the depiction of white stereotypes towards South African natives is overwhelmingly shocking, and Bana delivers a chilling interpretation of an individual fuelled purely by hatred and superiority of the white man. He carries a fearful and powerful aura around him, even though he is the one in the chains, and when accompanied by the calming intelligence of Whitaker's Desmond Tutu, the pair exude a beautiful, dynamic chemistry that creates such a meaningful feature film.The movie is fleshed out with a side plot focusing on internal prison politics, and along with flashbacks to Bloomfeld's past The Forgiven maintains a wonderful fluidity and pacing. With an educational and thought provoking script, director Roland Joffé and writer Michael Ashton have created a stunning piece of film that shows a visionary perspective on how to tell stories that demand a platform. The Forgiven really is an emotional masterpiece that will bring a tear to the eye as the final credits role, delivering a poignant message that will resonate deep within in our minds and shake our moral compasses to the core.?????
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  • Strong performances from an international cast raise the interest level, and it's a vivid exploration of mercy that transcends some rather sentimental storytelling.
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  • A drama about the restorative justice and forgiveness work of Archbishop Desmond Tutu and South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
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  • The Forgiven is a timely and powerful film, and the ultimate testament to the power of forgiveness and finding common ground in our humanity.
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  • Just alone, the scenes between Bana and Whitaker earn the film a recommendation, but other than that there's just not much else worthy of note.
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  • The Forgiven plunges us into the heart of post-apartheid chaos, where we see and feel the hurt, fear, and rage that had to be aired before the healing could begin.
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  • The core debate and both main performances are compelling.
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  • Brutal violence, adult themes in post-apartheid story.
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  • No attempt is made to win over the audience. This welcome absence of sentimentality allows us to experience Tutu's own crisis of faith as he attempts to reconcile this man's actions with his bedrock belief in forgiveness.
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  • It's when the two men come together, in a series of intense and uncomfortable dialogues, that the film is most effective.
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  • Roland Joffé's film is largely successful in its attempt to grapple with the terrible truths of apartheid and its legacy.
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  • Powerful performances by Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana highlight Roland Joffé's latest political drama.
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