I had high hopes for the new psychological thriller The Forgotten and in spirit the hopes proved correct.

The setup of this film is effective, even stunning. From the interplay of the narrative and sparse yet razor sharp dialog – to the performances, it works. In terms of execution of the script, the movie works. Julianne Moore, the star works. Visually, the Forgotten works. Plot wise, the movie needed a few more passes at the old word processor.

The concept is creative. A woman grieving the loss of her son discovers that everyone around her but her has forgotten the child ever existed. How and why do they forget? Those conflicts are the movie and they try to deliver. But the resolution is a major problem. It’s too convoluted, too implausible given the story up to that point.

If the ending were a beverage it would be burnt coffee laced with saccharin. Yes – its possible to drink such things, but why?

Verdict: Video or DVD rental. Matinee – but only if you must see Julianne Moore strip down to a bra and panties for two seconds on a forty foot screen.