Unforgettable - C-

Quick Hit: A completely forgettable (see what I did there) film destined to play on the Lifetime network for weeks.

When you hear “Lifetime movie”, there is an instant image of a movie that forms in your mind. It is normally A) dramatic, B) has a woman protagonist, and C) features some kind of violence and sexuality. This movie easily checks off all these boxes. I’m not sure if the writers were going for this type of movie or not (it would boggle the mind if their intentions were something more – some of the dialogue almost screams Days of Our Lives), but you never know.

Unforgettable features Julia (Rosario Dawson) as the bride-to-be that is moving in with her boyfriend. Not only does she have to contend with this life change, but she must also deal with slightly overbearing, (hint, sarcasm), exsquisitely made-up, Stepford-wife-reject Tessa (Katherine Heigl). It starts innocently enough – showing up when love interest David (Geoff Stults) isn’t home, or essentially just undermining her in front of David and Tessa’s daughter. However, it quickly spirals because Julia has an abusive ex, Tessa contacts him pretending to be Julia, and it just spirals from there.

As I said, Lifetime network material.

The film does have some redeeming qualities in its two lead actresses. Heigl is absolutely chilling at times. I watch Grey’s Anatomy, it’s a guilty pleasure of mine. It’s kind of like when if you took Izzie at her craziest and basically forced even more crazy down her throat. Rosario Dawson, who I’ve yet to see have a bad performance, is great again here. She manages to convince you of the myriad of emotions that a woman in this situation would feel. It’s very touching, especially when she finally breaks down and loses it.

But despite Dawson being the true lead, Heigl shows that she is the star. Her craziness is infectious, and it gives the scene with Dawson an energy that is nowhere else in the film.  Heigl, so often presented in Rom Coms where she seems too aloof to really care, shines here as an Ice Princess. In one scene, where the Dawson breaks at a dinner party while thinking of Heigl’s words about the sexual exploits with her husband, the movie is edited to seem as if Heigl is pleasuring herself at the same time that Julia and David are having sex. It’s one of the movie’s most striking moments, especially since it comes out of nowhere.

Overall, I don’t recommend that you spend money on this film. Even if you are the target demographic, I don’t think it’s worth your time. I’m giving Unforgettable a “C-“.

For more on this movie check out IMDB.