Forget Me Never (1999 TV Movie) User Reviews

Very well acted

[HotToastyRag · 7/10 · 17 September 2017]

I haven't seen too many movies about Alzheimer's disease. I know it's tragic; I don't need Julianne Moore to tell me about it. I love Mia Farrow, though, so I decided to sit through her TV movie about early-onset Alzheimer's.

Forget Me Never includes all the symptoms of the disease, including disorientation, confusion, forgetfulness, and mood swings. My favorite part of the film was how Mia's character gets away with hiding her disease for so long. It's clever and very realistic. Her husband Martin Sheen just thinks she's overworked and distracted; her kids think she's not prioritizing everyday tasks. Since she's so young, no one suspects she might have something wrong with her. "It's in the—the place where I keep all my clothes," Mia says, because she's forgotten the word "closet". Her daughter doesn't notice.

While the other films about this disease focus on the later, difficult stages, Forget Me Never covers the beginning of it, which, it proves, is difficult in its own way. Martin isn't prepared for this marital problem, and he isn't equipped to handle it. He gives a great and realistic performance as a regular Joe who hasn't really accepted the dropping bombshell. Mia is fantastic; she more than earned her Golden Globe nomination for the role. She expresses every emotion perfectly, without hamming it up and making it obvious she's playing for audience sympathy, like other actors have done in similar roles. Your heart will break for her in her fear, determination, fight, sadness, and uncertainty.

Weeper-of-the-week highlighted by strong star performance...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 9 March 2008]

Mia Farrow plays a married fifty-something working in legal administration who is diagnosed with early on-set Alzheimer's; she at first tries to ignore or hide her symptoms out of shame, but eventually finds her husband and, to some degree, her children are supportive. Some interesting directorial touches, and Farrow's dedicated portrayal, manage to give this hand-wringer some weight, but the characters aren't really all that interesting. Why can't disease-themed movies-of-the-week be sparked by creative or demanding people? Instead, we get a wifey who needs to return to her childhood home. She still owns it and it's still there waiting for her, fully stocked with treasures; it's a monument to the past just as this movie is a (minor) monument to a suffering genre.

A great leading performance elevates an otherwise average made-for-TV drama

[AccelLumen · 7/10 · 21 March 2020]

Mia Farrow's devoted performance shines through in almost every scene. She portrays Diana's confusion, worry, and feelings of unfair vulnerability at an impressive level.

The screenplay and limited budget are unfortunately what brings the movie down in most other regards; some of the other actors aren't putting in as much effort and it unfortunately shows. The dialogue is sometimes too functional and expository. Martin Sheen does what he can with Jack's more cliché character and limited story focus, but he eventually does bring out the notes of warmth that his character grows into, effectively.

There are some interesting shots here and there, particularly when Diana is at the Governor's Reception and she briefly appears to be alone in a large hall, assailed by a cacophony of chattering voices before being brought back to the moment by the guiding touch of a colleague. Other than this and a few other moments the cinematography is functional albeit mostly mundane.

The score is simple and effective, but not exceptional. More typical instrumentation gives way to disorienting whirring whereever Diana loses her senses, it's simple but effective at bringing the audience into how Diana is feeling and struggling. The score carries a singularly melancholic flute melody that is reincorporated throughout the story during reflective moments and is rather touching.

Overall it's probably one of the better made-for-TV movies, especially for Lifetime, and Diana McGowin who's biography the film is based on couldn't have asked for a more empathetic and genuine portrayal. If you're interested in seeing a story about a person who's life is changed enormously by Alzheimer's and how they try to adapt and function in spite of it all, Forget Me Never is worth watching and absorbing. Although to be fair given the movie's age and relative obscurity, if you're here you've probably already seen it.

Average drama with a great leading performance.

[Silverzero · 2 June 2003]

Looking at the disease of alzheimers, "Forget Me Never" is a subjective view of the problem with Woody Allen's ex-wife, Mia Farrow as the protagonist. She gives a very good performance and actually makes us believe that she has the disease. But that made-for-TV quality is very hard. Other than the performance, there isn't anything spectaculur or in the least memorable about "Forget Me Never".

Martin Sheen doesn't do much with his role that has been seen in countless other movies. The film gets an average score on most levels, as there's nothing remarkable about the camera techniques, script, art direction, etc. This is easy to sit through and easy to comprehend, but just as easy to forget about. It is based on a true story so it has some facts to stick to.

Overall, this is a passable drama. Nothing bad about it but there isn't much brilliant about it. 5.1/10.

Maudlin drama saved by the performances.

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 6 August 2022]

One of Mia Farrow's strongest straight dramatic performances, she's very brave in taking on the real life story of 55 year old attorney Diane McGowin who discovers out of the blue that she is suffering from early Alzheimer's. This could have had a bit more detail not only about her life before this all seriously began (husband Martin Sheen indicates that she's become more forgetful lately), and had scenes continue rather than cut them off in very important moments.

She overhears her family discussing her issues and simply blurts out what she's just confirmed with her humorless doctor. Rather than have her come downstairs and discuss what she's found out (giving the family a chance to express emotion and ask questions), they cut it off. Farrow tries to make light of her medical situation, and the doctor is the one to act all offended. Most doctors would accept that as a sign of attempts to cope with sudden bad news, a natural reaction.

In spite of script flaws, the performance of Farrow is amazing, and she never makes you feel like you're watching some weepy movie of the week. Sheen is great in support. I'll give the film credit for showing different aspects of the disease I'd previously been unaware of, so it's a good educational tool. There are times when Farrow seems completely lucid which gives her lots of range and of course the character moments of rage.

Mia Farrow gives an excellent performance

[jkinoz · 9/10 · 2 April 2000]

Mia Farrow gives an excellent performance in this rare TV outing. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for her role as a woman suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's disease. It is so realistic that, at times, it is difficult to watch but the viewer is rewarded with a satisfying conclusion. I highly recommend this film.

This movie is based in a true story.

[macpherr · 10/10 · 18 October 1999]

Mia Farrow (Rosemary's Baby) "Diane McGowin" is an attorney. She finds herself forgetting things, especially short term memories. She suspects that something is wrong and goes to the doctor and after many tests the diagnosis was Alzheimer's. I love Mia Farrow and appreciate her work and have a deep appreciation for all the kids she rose and the trials she had to go throughout in her personal life.

Well, I wish I had seen this movie about fifteen years ago, when my mother was having the same problems. This movie gives you an inside look into the mind of an Alzheimer's patient. It is very difficult to comprehend the nuances as an outsider of the sad, funny, and depressing moments they go through. Their short term memory begins to go, their personality changes, the little things that they do which annoy people are accentuated. They become utterly confused. This movie depicts it really well.

Diana did not want to tell her husband, played by Martin Sheen (Platoon, Apocalypse Now), because she thought her husband would be worried about money since she made more money than he did. After she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Diane asked the doctor how long she had until her mind turn into a vegetable, and just started laughing. She pretended she was going to work and dressed up so her husband would not find out then went back to bed, then dress up again. Finally she had to give a speech at a political party meeting. The entire room began to turn as she had no idea of where she was, called her house by reading her own cheque book and her son recognized her voice. He came and got her and she was forced to tell her family that she had Alzheimer's which they knew to a certain degree.

She befriended a professor who had the illness and they begin to do things together. That is an interesting point because his illness is much more advanced than hers. She can learn where she is heading. She started a therapy group with people who shared the same illness. This movie is based in a true story. Didactically show the steps of progression of the illness to the audience. It was enlightening to me.

Finally after Diana's friend had an episode where he did not recognize his family and had to go to a home, she goes to her place of peace, the attic of her mothers house. She found all the memories in pictures and also a book that her mother had a swatch of blue marked as blue, red and so on. She knew her mother had the same illness. Her husband found her and they made peace. He would be there for her at all costs. I recorded this movie and watched twice already.

My favorite scenes: The little notes she makes to herself in color charts, marks of direction, her understanding of her friend, the attic scenes.

My favorite Quotes: Friend: "Are you out of your mind?" Diana: "Matched! I got Alzheimer's remember? Diana: "If we can find the airport, we can have a swell time!" "We could walk our way to the sunset but we wouldn't find our way back." They laughed.

The acting was superb. Mia Farrow did a wonderful job as did Martin Sheen and the rest of the cast. Watch out for awards!

Great film shame about the noisy music (would have been 10)

[Janet1612 · 8/10 · 12 February 2023]

I remember seeing a film years ago with Mia Farrow about woman with memory problems. At this time I wasn't aware of Alzheimer's or dementia or that people of a younger age would have the condition. Now of course me, my friends, neighbours, relatives all have someone with this illness. I recently found the film on YouTube.

All I remember from the film was Mia's character in the doctors office recognising a connection with a map on the wall behind him and going home and checking through her mothers stuff. It was such a powerful scene.

Throughout the film we then see Diane (Mia's character) experiencing bouts of memory loss and anxiety. Her character is in a high-powered job and it's so sad to see her decline. I'm not too fussed here about giving further information as another review has told us the whole film.

Shame about the extremely annoying and loud music which drowned out most of the dialogue.

Look out for her son - I thought (but knew it couldn't be) Chris Martin from Coldplay at first.

I've ordered Diane's book; Living Through The Labrynth.