I anticipated a clone of "Before Sunrise," which I really enjoyed, but this film was much more than the story of two people spending 24 hours together, sharing tiny parts of their lives and moving on. The film sets the stage and encourages the viewer to imagine the truth about the characters without any cinematic tricks. The pace was perfect and the film devoid of unnecessary dialog. Just as in true life, some of the conversations were unfinished or interrupted as the film carried on. Several times I found myself forgetting that I was watching a film, as I was so caught up in the humanity of the characters. The acting was truly first rate. It was beautifully filmed, using really super London locations and fun music which gave it the look of a much more expensive finished product. I will keep this gem in my movie library, listed under "inspirational romances."
18 Reviews
Gentle and understated - a good watch.
AnnaSpanner24 March 2013
I enjoyed this film a lot, it was more than I was expecting. It's not your standard romantic drama, and it's clear that there was no big budget or fanfare with this - but that's why I liked it. It meant that there was no distraction from the two main characters in the film and I could concentrate on their stories. Tobias Menzies plays his character with an understated confidence, he allows you to understand him and his ways in your own time. Genevieve O'Reilly is also good and plays a very likable character. There's a chapter of her story, involving her grandmother, which felt a little 'shoe-horned' in, and there may have been another way of introducing the subject of memory to the film in a less contrived way. I never saw the end coming (the two have a conversation at the end in which all is revealed), and the final scenes were really good - although nobody warned me this film was a weepy! All in all, a good film and I'm pleased to have watched it.
More than a stock romance, a thoughtful and involving film
joanne-66-99263029 July 2014
Categorising the film as a romance may have done it a disservice. Yes, it's a love story but it's also about how we create a place for ourselves in this life through the stories we tell and our relationships with other people. Will is utterly decent, Eve is free-spirited and perhaps a little rootless but they're both in the process of changing their view of themselves and how they present themselves to others.
As a viewer, you always know more about Will than Eve does which develops a certain investment in the story. There are clues along the way to the secret we already know - it's easy to see how she misses them and the fact that she does means we develop an empathy for her simple optimism. There are also clues, right from the start, to the secret we don't know. Knowing what we know from the outset, it's easier for us to spot those clues and add them up than it is for Eve so the revelation is perhaps less shocking for us than for her; for us it perhaps feels more like an inevitability. It's a clever device that tends to pull viewers in rather than feeling overly manipulative.
Tobias Menzies as Will and Genevieve O'Reilly as Eve both give wonderfully natural and believable performances, making it easy to just lose yourself in the world of the film. Conversations ebb and flow, some things are unsaid, some things are never finished, just as they are in real life (what's the kicker in Will's most embarrassing story? We'll never know!). The London locations give it a "bigger" feel than many low-budget films.
It may be a romance, it may even be a weepy but I think it goes beyond that with a message that is ultimately positive and optimistic - don't be afraid to care and don't be afraid to let others care for you.
As a viewer, you always know more about Will than Eve does which develops a certain investment in the story. There are clues along the way to the secret we already know - it's easy to see how she misses them and the fact that she does means we develop an empathy for her simple optimism. There are also clues, right from the start, to the secret we don't know. Knowing what we know from the outset, it's easier for us to spot those clues and add them up than it is for Eve so the revelation is perhaps less shocking for us than for her; for us it perhaps feels more like an inevitability. It's a clever device that tends to pull viewers in rather than feeling overly manipulative.
Tobias Menzies as Will and Genevieve O'Reilly as Eve both give wonderfully natural and believable performances, making it easy to just lose yourself in the world of the film. Conversations ebb and flow, some things are unsaid, some things are never finished, just as they are in real life (what's the kicker in Will's most embarrassing story? We'll never know!). The London locations give it a "bigger" feel than many low-budget films.
It may be a romance, it may even be a weepy but I think it goes beyond that with a message that is ultimately positive and optimistic - don't be afraid to care and don't be afraid to let others care for you.
Something a little different
areu-130 November 2009
I saw a preview screening of this at the weekend. It has a very involving story line and I soon found myself wrapped up in the couples journey threw London. It is not the usual genre I would opt for but, the engaging story, great choice of locations and top notch acting kept me entertained. I felt connected to the characters and as the credits started to roll I wanted to know where their journey together was heading. It has a few flaws but they never distracted from the message of the film. It passed the all important watch test, although as I say not my genre, I never found myself looking at my watch to see how long was left. I was captivated by what was happening to the central characters. I left the screening feeling upbeat, thinking about how at our darkest hour something small can happen to bring us into the light.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for something a little different.
I would recommend this for anyone looking for something a little different.
Walkie-Talkie
megangray22 November 2011
Warning: Spoilers
Not a movie but life. Amazingly simple and deep!
Forget Me Not works principally for three reasons – stunning visuals, realistic acting and an immense script that builds the characters through their thoughts and feelings and thus allows us to get to know them as we do the people in real life. This allows the characters to be free, and it's easy to believe that these are real people and not just actors working from a script. This also allows us to feel for the characters for who they are, and not merely because they're the protagonists. This kind of realism is hard to capture as, at the end of the day, we as the audience know that they're watching a film and not observing real life; but the dialog is amazing, the acting is spot-on; this is a great film.
It has been compared to Before Sunrise/Sunset but it has another level beyond those films which really allows it to stand out. I did see a boom in shot at one point, but the relative low budget does little to mar enjoyment.
Forget Me Not works principally for three reasons – stunning visuals, realistic acting and an immense script that builds the characters through their thoughts and feelings and thus allows us to get to know them as we do the people in real life. This allows the characters to be free, and it's easy to believe that these are real people and not just actors working from a script. This also allows us to feel for the characters for who they are, and not merely because they're the protagonists. This kind of realism is hard to capture as, at the end of the day, we as the audience know that they're watching a film and not observing real life; but the dialog is amazing, the acting is spot-on; this is a great film.
It has been compared to Before Sunrise/Sunset but it has another level beyond those films which really allows it to stand out. I did see a boom in shot at one point, but the relative low budget does little to mar enjoyment.
The discarded yesterdays
Prismark1023 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Forget Me Not is a low budget independent romantic drama with an edge with a lot of walking and talking plus a picturesque setting in London.
Tobias Menzies is Will and Genevieve O'Reilly as Eve who give understated performances. At first I was convinced that it was Menzies who was also singing the songs but most of them were sung by the writer of the film, Mark Underwood.
Will is a singer in a club who meets Eve, a barmaid as he comes to her rescue as she is being hassled by a drunk. They accompany each other as they walk through London and fall for each other. They meet up again the next day as Eve goes to see her grandmother in a home.
However the title of the film is no accident. Will in the last act mentions his troubled past and even troubling future. Until he met Eve he saw no purpose in his life and the viewer will feel an emotional impact with his revelation.
The film is enhanced with the location shooting in London and it is a good starring role for Tobias Menzies who seems to have carved a niche as the guy who always appears in spy dramas. The actors have a good chemistry with each other, it is a little rough and ready as a low budget film that presumably was filmed quickly, it therefore feels flat in places and even a bit pedestrian.
Tobias Menzies is Will and Genevieve O'Reilly as Eve who give understated performances. At first I was convinced that it was Menzies who was also singing the songs but most of them were sung by the writer of the film, Mark Underwood.
Will is a singer in a club who meets Eve, a barmaid as he comes to her rescue as she is being hassled by a drunk. They accompany each other as they walk through London and fall for each other. They meet up again the next day as Eve goes to see her grandmother in a home.
However the title of the film is no accident. Will in the last act mentions his troubled past and even troubling future. Until he met Eve he saw no purpose in his life and the viewer will feel an emotional impact with his revelation.
The film is enhanced with the location shooting in London and it is a good starring role for Tobias Menzies who seems to have carved a niche as the guy who always appears in spy dramas. The actors have a good chemistry with each other, it is a little rough and ready as a low budget film that presumably was filmed quickly, it therefore feels flat in places and even a bit pedestrian.
Great movie
lexmas5 June 2012
I loved this movie. Poster of the movie make it look like some kind of a generic indie romantic comedy but it couldn't be more wrong. It was such a pleasant surprise in terms of pretty much everything.
I don't want to give stuff/spoiler away because there are some elements that's only reveled at the end that changes the entire perspective of the story so I'll just say it is more of a character driven story about the hardships of life than a typical "romantic" movie. It reminded me a of a movie called "Once" that I really liked as well. The actors-although unknown- did an amazing job! It had great music, and narrative and so much "heart "than I expected. It is definitely a great movie to check out.
I don't want to give stuff/spoiler away because there are some elements that's only reveled at the end that changes the entire perspective of the story so I'll just say it is more of a character driven story about the hardships of life than a typical "romantic" movie. It reminded me a of a movie called "Once" that I really liked as well. The actors-although unknown- did an amazing job! It had great music, and narrative and so much "heart "than I expected. It is definitely a great movie to check out.
Potential for so much more
pint_sized_one11 March 2014
This film has a lot of potential. The cast, particularly the two leads, are great. The premise - two strangers meet and spend one long night falling in love - is perhaps a little predictable, but still holds charm. The setting - London city at night - is picturesque. However, the script fails to deliver and our two star-crossed lovers spend far too much of the film skimming the surface of well-worn conversation topics, trapped in cliché scenarios.
Lingering looks? Check. Conversations about God and the meaning of life? Check. Rain-soaked embraces? Check. Guy giving up his jacket? You bet. Bittersweet ending? Of course. Piano playing, swapping of embarrassing childhood stories, walks along rivers, revelations of painful pasts, spontaneous musical interludes - this film has it all.
That's not to say the film doesn't have its charms. There are some interesting twists in the conversation, and there are moments towards the end where the characters manage to break free, however temporarily, from their cookie-cut roles of Tortured Artist and Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The problem is that the formula has been done so often, and so much better. See: Before Sunrise (1995), Once (2006), Breakfast Club (1985). This film is by no means terrible, but with so many other good films available to watch, why waste your time?
Lingering looks? Check. Conversations about God and the meaning of life? Check. Rain-soaked embraces? Check. Guy giving up his jacket? You bet. Bittersweet ending? Of course. Piano playing, swapping of embarrassing childhood stories, walks along rivers, revelations of painful pasts, spontaneous musical interludes - this film has it all.
That's not to say the film doesn't have its charms. There are some interesting twists in the conversation, and there are moments towards the end where the characters manage to break free, however temporarily, from their cookie-cut roles of Tortured Artist and Manic Pixie Dream Girl. The problem is that the formula has been done so often, and so much better. See: Before Sunrise (1995), Once (2006), Breakfast Club (1985). This film is by no means terrible, but with so many other good films available to watch, why waste your time?
Nice surprise!
joeo22226 August 2011
My kind of film, about two hurting people who accidentally meet and wander around the streets of London.....kind of like a dark "Before Sunrise." He, a troubadour, she, a bartender looking to start anew. Sprinkled with some nice songs and heartfelt feelings. Forget about action or comedy, it's human drama with a lot of what people do....talking. This really is what an indie film is supposed to be about, in my opinion, looking inside human beings. Also neat, the couple slow dances to a tune from an IPod kind of thing, with earphones in each of their ears. As for the acting, they do come across as real and so does the entire film.
The complexities of human relationships
Sleepin_Dragon28 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Will is a talented musician, but an unhappy one. On the night he plans to take his own life, a chance meeting with Eve changes his life. Over a twenty four hour period the pair walk, talk, argue and eventually fall in love,
I really enjoyed this film, very different in almost every way, it's wonderfully poignant, both romantic and sad. Both characters have a journey, we see Will Go from the depths of despair, to love, to hope. Similarly we see Eve go from quite a hard character to a softer, more caring one.
It is very well acted, Genevieve O'Reilly and Tobias Menzies have good chemistry, they handle some particularly sad and moving moments really well, as does Gemma Jones, not on screen for long, but excellent as Eve's grandmother.
Very deep, quite heavy I guess, but very good. 8/10
I really enjoyed this film, very different in almost every way, it's wonderfully poignant, both romantic and sad. Both characters have a journey, we see Will Go from the depths of despair, to love, to hope. Similarly we see Eve go from quite a hard character to a softer, more caring one.
It is very well acted, Genevieve O'Reilly and Tobias Menzies have good chemistry, they handle some particularly sad and moving moments really well, as does Gemma Jones, not on screen for long, but excellent as Eve's grandmother.
Very deep, quite heavy I guess, but very good. 8/10
lmao
hoveringblackcubeofdeath15 March 2020
A 1h 35min excuse to shoot different angles of Tobias Menzies's (admittedly unbearably beautiful) face. the cleverbot-generated dialogue amused me, actually, but other than that this film could run for 4 mins and nothing of the plot would be lost. it would have been more entertaining if everyone except Menzies wore clown masks or sth, or if the whole plot of the film didn't happen and it was just him running around his apartment, contemplating you-know-what through body language alone. Cherdleys videos hold more entertainment value, and i'm saying that as an easily entertained person. 3 stars, because Tobias, obviously, and alsoit was fun to be made fun of. ahahahahah
Alexander Holt and Lance Koehrig directed
sjanders-8643029 May 2021
This is a 2010 British film staring Tobias Menzies and Genevieve O'Reilly. Wow! This is a slow lead up to a catastrophic ending. Surprising. Deep as the sea. Two people sharing a diminishing memory. One is her mother. The other is Menzies. Menzies is a top actor. O'Reilly is a top actor. Gemma Jones is tops. The editing is tops. The score is deliberately off beat. The location is London through the night until day break. 24 hours and these two do know each other. This is an unusual film with haunting ideas about our memory and our identity. Mark Underwood wrote the screenplay. Excellent and unforgettable.
Too many clichés and half baked philosophy
surangaf5 October 2015
To give it its due, this is well made (as in well produced) and well acted movie.
However it is marred by inclusion of way too many clichés. Tortured and troubled man and woman wondering through the night (or day) talking and having innocent fun and falling in love (or almost falling). Background of nicely photographed cityscapes. It even has man giving up his coat to shivering woman. nice but ...
Old hat. Older than movies in fact. Read Dostoevsky's "White nights". Same thing 150+ years ago. (By the way, that work has been adapted several times too). In fact there are so many movies with same formula they should create a definite genre for the type.
This one does have sort of a departure from formula at the end, but it is too specific and rare, and gets focus on only at the end. Movie could have made more of it if the full details of what is going on were revealed from the start. Instead movie introduce theme of suicide from the start, and then indulge in rather poor philosophizing on that theme intermittently. That is a poor way to handle such a subject.
This is worth watching only if you like this formula, since it is a better example of the type. And only if you do not care too much about philosophy.
However it is marred by inclusion of way too many clichés. Tortured and troubled man and woman wondering through the night (or day) talking and having innocent fun and falling in love (or almost falling). Background of nicely photographed cityscapes. It even has man giving up his coat to shivering woman. nice but ...
Old hat. Older than movies in fact. Read Dostoevsky's "White nights". Same thing 150+ years ago. (By the way, that work has been adapted several times too). In fact there are so many movies with same formula they should create a definite genre for the type.
This one does have sort of a departure from formula at the end, but it is too specific and rare, and gets focus on only at the end. Movie could have made more of it if the full details of what is going on were revealed from the start. Instead movie introduce theme of suicide from the start, and then indulge in rather poor philosophizing on that theme intermittently. That is a poor way to handle such a subject.
This is worth watching only if you like this formula, since it is a better example of the type. And only if you do not care too much about philosophy.
Lost in Translation in London
grahame-3721824 March 2023
Yeah, this film is amazing. The most underrated romantic drama of all time.
It's curiously a strange cousin to Lost in Translation.
Beautifully shot in London at some great locations. Cinematography is top notch.
Brilliantly acted. Just so gorgeous to look at. It deserves to be on Blu-ray. I would buy it to replace my worn out dvd.
Lovely London, great acting, great story.
Blah blah blah, why do we need to use 600 letters to explain how good a movie is.
It's really good, really great, really excellent.
Before Sunrise and Lost in Translation, yeah yeah yeah. It's just as good, so great.
London never looked so good.
I really love it, oh yeah!....
It's curiously a strange cousin to Lost in Translation.
Beautifully shot in London at some great locations. Cinematography is top notch.
Brilliantly acted. Just so gorgeous to look at. It deserves to be on Blu-ray. I would buy it to replace my worn out dvd.
Lovely London, great acting, great story.
Blah blah blah, why do we need to use 600 letters to explain how good a movie is.
It's really good, really great, really excellent.
Before Sunrise and Lost in Translation, yeah yeah yeah. It's just as good, so great.
London never looked so good.
I really love it, oh yeah!....
After Midnight
tieman649 February 2015
A romantic drama by Alexander Holt, "Forget Me Not" stars Tobias Menzies and Genevieve O'Really as a couple who spend several hours roaming the streets of London. They chat, laugh, gaze longingly into each other's eyes and then, finally, share shocking secrets.
Wholly clichéd, "Forget Me Not" plays like an amalgamation of "Remember Sunday", "Away From Her", "50 First Dates", "Memento", "Once" and Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise". Elsewhere Holt's attempts at photographing London are mostly inept, the director ignoring London's more interesting nooks and crannies in favour for unimaginative locations deemed "romantic" and "iconic" by tasteless tourist agencies.
5/10 – Worth one viewing.
Wholly clichéd, "Forget Me Not" plays like an amalgamation of "Remember Sunday", "Away From Her", "50 First Dates", "Memento", "Once" and Richard Linklater's "Before Sunrise". Elsewhere Holt's attempts at photographing London are mostly inept, the director ignoring London's more interesting nooks and crannies in favour for unimaginative locations deemed "romantic" and "iconic" by tasteless tourist agencies.
5/10 – Worth one viewing.
No
swintonstreet9 February 2015
A ill conceived and misguided make a film by numbers and quite a while since i had to sit through something quite this poor. Not a single original idea has made its way into this enterprise. Originality isn't everything, but here everything is hammed up. There is nothing to like. A real must to be held up in film schools as precisely what not to do. I need to make this into ten lines in order to be heard But its difficult...ten good lines is almost the length of this script. The whole is an anagram of a film, it has ingredients but they are put together In an offensively superficial manner. It has everything we don't need. I guess there is an audience if the other reviews are to be believed but i have to say its hard to believe as the film is truly truly one to forget.
Wow..
Wow..
Not your typical Rom Com
kcdavis-3623510 August 2022
I really enjoyed the authenticity of this movie. It had depth - which is more than I can say for most movies these days. The characters were multifaceted and the chemistry between them was real. And while it was mostly the two main characters the whole time, their interactions, experiences, and emotions kept me engaged. Highly recommend.
Insperational
wdmgq25 June 2021
I have watched this movie a dozen or more times, and i am completely blown away by it. The acting is superb, and the story line even though it is compared to the one with Ethan Hawke, is so much better. But i have been trying for ages to find out what is the name of the tun that Eve played on her Ipad or whatever, when she and Luke started dancing at the party.... the tune is constantly playing in the back of my mind, but i have not been successful in finding out what the name of it is.
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