"Unforgivable" was an intense drama of spousal abuse and recovery. The performances were first-rate, and there was a strong set of scenes in a support group where the perpetrator Paul Hegstrom was remanded in order to stay out of jail.
There was an effective transformation in Paul portrayed by actor John Ritter. But the more memorable character was the wife Judy as played by Harley Jane Kozak. Gradually, we saw that Judy was becoming her own person, taking a responsible job and providing a nurturing environment for the kids.
Perhaps the best scene in the film was when Judy finally stood up to Paul in a park and communicated the impact she felt from living in the shadows of years of abuse. For his part, Paul was able to draw on his experience from the support group and call "time out" before another one of his meltdowns. The filmmakers also effectively depicted the life-damaging effects on the children, one of whom never reconciled with her father.
While the film was based on a true story, there may have been slightly too much sentimentality conveyed as the abusive father completes his Q. U. I. T. program and is seemingly cured forever. The ending was a bit too tidy in the context of the "unforgivable" sins of a raging, out-of-control father.
There was an effective transformation in Paul portrayed by actor John Ritter. But the more memorable character was the wife Judy as played by Harley Jane Kozak. Gradually, we saw that Judy was becoming her own person, taking a responsible job and providing a nurturing environment for the kids.
Perhaps the best scene in the film was when Judy finally stood up to Paul in a park and communicated the impact she felt from living in the shadows of years of abuse. For his part, Paul was able to draw on his experience from the support group and call "time out" before another one of his meltdowns. The filmmakers also effectively depicted the life-damaging effects on the children, one of whom never reconciled with her father.
While the film was based on a true story, there may have been slightly too much sentimentality conveyed as the abusive father completes his Q. U. I. T. program and is seemingly cured forever. The ending was a bit too tidy in the context of the "unforgivable" sins of a raging, out-of-control father.