User reviews

John Dahl's Unforgettable plays around with a trippy high concept premise in which people's memories can be accessed by using an experimental, controversial drug. Ray Liotta plays the troubled Doctor whose wife has been recently murdered. He desperately reaches out to the scientist (Linda Fiorentino) who synthesized the compound, and the two set out to use it unofficially, in order to retain his wife's dying moments, see them for himself and establish who her killer is. The serum takes its toll on his already stressed mind though, and soon he's questioning his own reality, his trust levels towards those around him dropping considerably. Director Dahl is beyond proficient when it comes to thrillers, usually taking on crime pieces with a noirish vibe. Here he tries his hand at science fiction, coexisting with a classic whodunit narrative, and the result is quite good. Liotta relies on the information that his detective friend (Peter Coyote) gives him, and combines it with the knowledge he absorbs from his deceased wife's brain, beginning to piece the puzzle together. There's also a troublesome detective played by Christopher Mcdonald he must deal with, and a violent thug (Kim Coates) involved as well. Liotta is usually tough, capable and would normally be found playing one of the two cops, but the doctor on the run without a lot of tactical skill suits him and allows the guy some work other than just cops or psychos. Watch for work from David Paymer, Kim Cattrall, William B. Davis, Callum Keith Rennie and Garwin Sanford as well. The premise may be too far-fetched for some folks, but for others with imagination it'll be a blast. It's also fairly violent and graphic, which may seem gratuitous for such a cerebral outing, but I find it gives it a stylistic edge and raises the stakes, just like Total Recall. Great flick. Not Total Recall, I mean this one. Well Total Recall too, obviously. Yeesh.

I do not know why people tend to rate this film low. Of course, I am slightly prejudiced as i always thought that Ray Liotta may be a cousin until I found out he was adopted. That doesn't take away the quality of his acting, especially in this film.

He really has to lay it on thick as he takes the mind of others through an experimental drug developed by Dr. Martha Briggs (Linda Fiorentino) in an effort to find out who killed his wife (Stellina Rusich).

Fiorentino (Dogma, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) does a really good job as the research scientist who helps him through his ordeal.

The film had other favorites: Kim Cattrall and Peter Coyote, who added to the mystery and suspense.

I really like Liotta for his range and you could do a lot worse than spend two hours with him as he catches a killer.

There have been harsh words about this "unforgettable",probably exaggerated.This could be some kind of update of "spellbound"(1945) and it recalls sometimes" D.O.A. "with Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan (1988) ,and even "Jennifer eight"(1992)with Andy Garcia (the latter for the murderer's identity).Except for Hitchcock's classic,of course , the movies I mention had disastrous reviews.And however,they have much more imaginative scripts than ,say,"die hard" (one,two or three,take your pick,they are interchangeable)

Script for "unforgettable" is more polished than it has been given credit for.It's stunning when,in the end,the two stories come together,this time recalling "dead again" (K.Brannagh ,1991),another movie with an unfairly mediocre reputation;only 2 stars and a half on the Maltin!OK ,the plot for "unforgettable" is far-fetched,but it has an intern logic,and anyway,is it less credible than B.Willis singlehandedly taming a whole bunch of terrorists ?(Die Hard is rated 3 stars!)

Ray Liotta is an actor whose parts are not always worthy of himself.He's convincing here:during the whole movie,his face remains sad,wistful,as if he were waging an almost lost war.He rarely smiles,except when he's with his daughters.Linda Fiorentino,once she's provided Liotta with her drug,is not very important for the action (definitely not Ingrid Bergman in "spellbound").And we will be very thankful to Dahl for sparing us the umpteenth love affair between the patient and his doctor.More,we have here a very original ending,marred by the syrupy eponymous song though.It might be a happy end,after all,and which justifies the title.

All in all,it's an entertaining movie,mixing smartly sci-fi,thriller,and whodunit.It could become a sleeper.

Ray Liotta is convincing enough in this mystery film with scifi overtones as Dr. Crane, an accused but acquitted suspect in his wife murder whom steals an experimental mind- expanding yet incredibly dangerous drug from scientist Marta Briggs (Linda Fiorentino) in order to solve the crime and deduce the true killer.

The film is able to keep up a tense mood throughout despite it's more fantastical conceits and I enjoyed myself. While it may be far from perfect (one or two of the supporting actors drop the ball, the movie as a whole seemed a touch derivative),, it's still perfectly adequate,

My Grade: C+

Where I saw it: Instant Netflix

I recently saw this movie although it was released in 1996. I was pleasantly surprised by Ray Liotta's performance. Usually he plays such a bad guy. However, I enjoyed that his character showed some emotion.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this movie and you will be surprised at the ending. The storyline is far fetched, but you will enjoy it.

However, the movie at two hours, is a bit long and they could really have cut out a half hour. There were times I thought the movie could have ended, but it went on and on...

All in all, a good movie.

I wouldn't say Unforgettable is a movie I won't forget about, for that it's just not good enough, but it's certainly good enough to watch once or even more in the future. It's an entertaining sci-fi thriller with a good Ray Liotta as the main character. Don't expect high tech visual effects, just a good story with plenty of action, mystery and suspense. There is a nice twist to it so it's not one of those movies where you figure everything out after half an hour. For 199§ it's a good movie.

Let me preface this review by saying this movie started off great with a great original idea. In fact the movie treaded on a good path besides a few stumbles here and there.

The movie is about a doctor, Doctor Krane (Ray Liotta), whose wife was murdered. The case was never solved although he was tried for the crime but acquitted. Later he comes across another doctor, Dr. Martha Briggs (Linda Fiorentino), who has a highly experimental drug that can transfer one person's memories to another person.

Well, Dr. Krane uses this drug to try to track down his wife's killer. At first the movie was rolling along fine, in fact is was down right captivating. But somewhere along the way it got predictable and then they didn't know how to end it. And when I say predictable, I mean reeeeally predictable.

This movie could have done itself justice by not being as long as it was and by not making the culprit so obvious. It made out to be just an average movie after all.

"Unforgettable" has a great first first hour, as Ray Liotta tracks down the man he believes to be his wife's killer. He is greatly aided by Linda Fiorentino, playing against type as a slightly mousy scientist. Linda has developed a drug which, when mixed with another person's spinal fluid, enable Liotta to experience key traumatic experiences in that other person's life.

Unfortunately "Unforgettable" becomes so convoluted in the second hour, a viewer may lose interest. I certainly did, though stuck it out for the fairly predictable conclusion.

I give "Unforgettable" a "6".

The best points of this sci-fi/mystery/thriller, I thought, were: 1 - very good suspense; 2 - a different-angle story; and 3 - an involving "whodunit" story; 4 - and a fast- moving for a two-hour film.

Another big plus: John Dahl directed this, and in his prime. This movie came on the heels of Kill Me Again, Red Rock West and The Last Seduction.....all of them very entertaining films.

This would be best for the first-time viewer, but I still have enjoyed it the three times I've seen it. I just wait about 4-5 years between viewings so as not to remember everything. One thing unusual: Linda Fiorentino actually plays a nice lady! Usually, she's brutal! Ray Liotta, Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald and David Paymer all provide good male performances with Liotta playing the central character.

Be warned that this story is a bit unbelievable. It's pretty far out, and it can get on the gory side, but it's different and will keep your attention.

I was surprised to like it as much as I did. I only saw it because I think the director, John Dahl, is outstanding in the field of creating a cozy, fun little caper. Now, Unforgettable hardly compares to Kill Me Again, The Last Seduction, or Rounders, but as a thriller yarn, it holds its own. Ray Liotta's hero, a notoriously edgy forensic investigator and ex-drunk haunted by his wife's unsolved murder and taunted by the fact that he'd passed out in the bushes when it was happening, is the perfect tortured soul of a protagonist for a dark, moody thriller like Unforgettable.

To be admitted are that its title is not exactly catchy, or very many feet away from cheesy, its villains are Shane Black clichés, the inconsistencies of a few plot details---though it's a sci-fi film---are very questionable, and the coziness of Kill Me Again, Seduction, and Rounders is hardly anywhere to be found through the majority of the movie. I understand that you have to be careful with your choices when it comes to this kind of movie, the thriller, because a lot of them suck and almost all of them are page-by-page rehashes, and I'm very careful with the movies I see. Every so often, I stretch my boundaries a bit to see a cluster of slasher films or corny thrillers, just because you can get in those moods sometimes. The movie didn't turn me off. It has its flaws, but it doesn't give in to formula love interests or comic reliefs or deplorably mock-clever dialogue. Those are what turn me off.

I watched this film on Vudu on a whim about a month ago, I was looking for mysteries or thrillers and I stumbled upon this film somehow, and I have not been able to forget it since. It sounded weird and out there(it is), it seemed like it would be way outside the mainstream thematically and tone-wise as a film (which it is), and I tend to enjoy movies that are a bit out on a limb and not your every day fair, that stretch the boundaries of storytelling. This has a linear plot line, but much of the details of things are revealed in a very unconventional fashion, and in a non-linear way without being confusing, which is a feat in and of itself.

This is not a perfect film, but it is also a very memorable one. I also would challenge the statement of others that the length of this film is the problem and that the second half of the film falls apart. I actually found the second half of the film quite a bit more compelling than the first half, and things really picked up at the half way mark, as we begin to understand more about the night David's wife dies. The whole film is built around this premise, if it intrigues you, watch it, if it doesn't, don't

I loved the idea of the drug and experiencing other's memories, it is still a very unique idea, and the way that he has to do it makes it very hard, it is not just simply taking a pill either.

If you are off-put by the idea of a man using an untested drug that induces the memories of other people for the purpose of solving a the murder of his wife(that is not a spoiler, it's in the description) framed as a bit of neo-noir with sci-fi elements and very much a murder mystery, walk on. I am shocked that anyone walking in to this film would be surprised by the weirdness of this film given it's unusual premise.

The main negatives that keep this from a full 10 stars is somewhat cheap feel at times. First, the cinematography and lighting does very well in setting the tone in the beginning, and in the end, but in other middle parts of the film, it is it's weakest least because of a cheap look, that is the best way to describe it. The second thing is that in some sections the tone is slightly confusing due to some hammy acting from particularly person who feels grossly out of place in this film, Christopher McDonald, who feels very out of place as Steward.

Everyone else does a great job in the acting department, especially Ray Liotta, Peter Coyote, and Kim Coats (he is surprisingly sinister and yet very human at times), and actually McDonald isn't bad, I am just guessing he got this crossed with "Happy Gilmore" since they were filmed around the same time, and his performance is quite hammy, though I suppose it does provide a slight reprieve from the ultra-serious tone of the film. There two things, unfortunately, give the film a somewhat uneven tone, especially in the middle, but it is not bad enough that it hurts the film overall.

There are shades of this film in other later films, I watched "Frequency" for one is very similar in many ways, I cannot say what they are without a spoiler though. Even Cronenberg's "eXiStenz" seems to use very similar ideas and tone. This is not to say if you like those films, you will enjoy this, as this film is not much like either of them in terms of the actual films, they just have similar elements.

I did enjoy the fact that Ray Liotta is not cast as the villain for a change. This film is a heck of a lot better than another Ray Liotta film where he generally plays a good guy, which for me, was middling and kind of boring for the most part. Other than these two films and "Field of Dreams" or even "Goodfellas" it is very hard to think of a film where Ray Liotta plays a good guy, and after watching this film especially, it is very clear he is more than capable of it. Although, even though David is a good guy, he does a lot of questionable things, and there are consequences to his actions, which makes this a very believable role for Liotta.

The other actors, for the most part do an admirable job, Peter Coyote is very much worth noting, and was far and away the best performance outside Liotta's, even if the rest of the cast are generally very good actors, they are just not given enough to work with, as the central focus is really on David's hunt for his wife's killer.

This is a very unique film, and if you enjoy off-beat or unusual films, then you will enjoy this. I was engrossed the entire time, except in the little bits with Christopher McDonald, that through the vibe of the whole film off a bit, not enough to ruin the film.. It is somewhat violent, and it is a fairly tense film in parts, it is rated R for a reason.

God Bless ~Amy

This is an excellent movie from start to finish.I've never been boring during the movie.Ray Liotta is awesome like always and the villains are chosen very good also.The director&composer made an wonderful atmosphere to this movie.I will check if they collaborated to other movies also. I also liked the twist that was on the end of the movie. John Dahl is a very good director.He directed also The Last Seduction in which stars Linda Fiorentino also.In Unforgettable Linda Fiorentino didn't shine like in The Last Seduction but it isn't lame either.So i recommend you all to sit back on your bed and watch an entertaining movie like this which is unique.It was a fun thrilling ride.

Very interesting Sci-Fi thriller directed by John Dahl. A forensic expert(Ray Liotta)accused of murdering his wife injects himself with an experimental serum that may help identify her killer. Use of flashbacks provides the "meatier" part of the movie. Some scenes are not only vivid, but stomach turning. Liotta does well with the role and leads a very solid cast featuring: Linda Fiorentino, Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald, Kim Cattrall and Kim Coates. Fiorentino was my main interest in watching this worthwhile and a little far-fetched mystery.

A bungled whodunit that had good potential but was poorly executed by director John Dahl. He relies too much on cliched gimmicks (mainly "shocking" illusions and dreams), and his plodding pacing only induces impatience on the viewer's part, which is the last thing a good mystery needs. But this isn't a good mystery anyway; the villain's identity is way too easy to guess (if you think about it afterwards, you'll realize that the plot follows practically the ONLY possible path to make the resolution "surprising", although it's far from that.) Ray Liotta is not particularly good here, but Linda Fiorentino, unexpectedly sweet, at least wins our sympathy. (**)

I was really surprised at the quality of this thriller. Ray Liotta stars. Why didn't I ever hear about it? What a thrilling surprise. Try it if you like sci-fi new-formula medical stuff that requires intelligent imagination. Lots of twists and turns. Buy the premise and you'll love the movie.

"unforgettable" is easily forgotten and is a 1996 film. It is directed by John Dahl and written by Bill Geddie. This film is currently available on NetFlix Instant Download Streaming. The cast includes Ray Liotta, Linda Fiorentino, Peter Coyote, Christopher McDonald, David Paymer, Duncan Fraser, Caroline Elliott, Colleen Rennison, Kim Cattrall, Stellina Rusich, Kim Coates, Suzy Joachim, Garwin Sanford, Janafor Ryane, Jim Broyden, Dean Choe, Mike Crestejo, Joanna Piros, Kevin Hayes, Cheryl Wilson, Nathaniel DeVeaux, Dwight McFee, Claudio Masciulli, Bruce Dawson, Sidonie Boll, Eric Pospisil, Rondel Reynoldson and Brock Chapman. The story is odd and includes the injections of a memory solution made of chemicals and cerebrospinal fluid into the forearm vein to solve forgotten murder perpetrators. It is also a love story and a thriller, but I could only give it 5 stars. Dale Haufrect

This roller coaster of a thriller is a powerful assault on the viewer's nerves. Ray Liotta is the puzzled hero who was acquitted of killing his wife but has no idea who really did it. Liotta, here in a sympathetic role, has kind eyes and likes kids, so is far from being the villain he sometimes plays. I am somewhat puzzled by the actress Jenafor Ryane, who plays Liotta's sister-in-law in this film and has the custody of his children. Am I going mad? Or is she really Jenny Franks aka Jenny Anderson aka Jenny Price? After all, IMDb has no biographical information about her at all. Does Jenafor Ryane exist? The question is: Who Framed Jenafor Rabbit? Or is that too sci fi a question? Linda Fiorentino is the winsome love interest here, looking very cute as a scientist who has invented a new technique of transplanting selected memories of traumatic incidents (what are known to neuroscientists as 'amygdala memories' because they are laid down in the amygdala of the brain, though this is not mentioned in the film) by injections of neuro-transmitters, etc, and there are excellently directed and filmed sequences of a cat chasing mice through a maze, some taken at mouse level. There is a certain amount of technical banter about this to give it credibility. The serum having only been tested on rats in the lab, Liotta hastily injects himself in a madcap attempt to try to find out who murdered his wife. He survives, even though Linda Fiorentino keeps telling him it will damage his heart and kill him. The plot thickens, and thickens again, and thickens again. Peter Coyote is suitably ominous and creepy as a cop who knows more than he lets on. Kim Coates as a druggie villain is super-sleazy, rather terrifying. John Dahl directed this fast-paced and nail-biting film.

I love Ray Liotta and Linda Fiorentino. Great actors. If not for them, this movie would have been completely unwatchable. I would have given this an average 5 stars, but could not do so, as this just dragged on and on and on. This movie was almost 2 hours long. And most of the scenes were dreary lab/hospital scenes, with needles and injections, and repetitive flashbacks of crimes having been committed. Very little in the way of cinematography, sound track, or witty dialog. The murder mystery was okay I guess. But again... it dragged. And, did I mention that I really do hate seeing people shoot themselves up with needles? I really love "atmospheric" type movies, and this was advertised as such on netflix. But, hospital rooms/labs/blurred crime scenes are not what I'm looking for in "atmospheric" movies.

Short and sweet. I have tried to watch this movie three times in 25 years and ... I'll not try a forth. When it first came out and the previews had Nat King Cole singing the one word "unforgettable" .... we all tried. Total failure. I've tried with my future 2nd wife in tow, later when drinking and finally with the intent of making it through on cable. This is not a good movie. It is average at best. Period, end of story./ (Sorry Ray and Linda, I wanted to like it, I really did.)

This film is unforgettable, and I give it a 10. This is a murder mystery with a twist where the man who needs his name cleared tries a experimental drug which gives the user other peoples memories. A lot better than Matlock, seen it done it before story line. Quite the surprise ending, and watching the drug's affects make me cringe. Rent this one.

Dark, depressing, slow and dragged out, this flick is mostly frustrating to watch as Ray Liotta doggedly persists but never resolves an overwhelmingly dastardly plot where everything is totally FUBAR without relying on a ridiculous untested, unproven, experimental injection out of desperation to hold someone accountable for his wife's brutal murder after the case has been covered up cold. Very depressing, with nothing much to appreciate besides Liotta's signature intensity and Fiorino for eye candy. Familiar top shelf supporting cast raises the bar, but it never rises out of its hyper gritty atmosphere to provide any satisfaction whatsoever. It does grip you through to the bitter end and leaves you in the murky muck. If that's your idea of entertainment, have at it, but you may want to find something - anything - else to watch instead.