forgiven

 Here is another film that I'd never heard of but saw in Redbox last time I went to Walmart. Ralph Fiennes is one of the few actors on the list of those I trust who seldom do bad movies, and Jessica Chastain is also on that list. So having them both in this movie, along with Matt Smith from Dr Who and House of the Dragon, really makes this a great movie.

This is a very nuanced film. It's a drama, and it has very adult elements. It deals with infidelity (which is a pun that you'll get if you watch it), racism, homosexuality, and the clash of cultures between the east and west. Like I said, it's nuanced, so even though there is a lot in the movie to make you hate the lavish apathy of the west and see the need and pain of the east, it doesn't come across heavy handed and clumsy. It says some things, and it even says them in a pithy way several times. There are "proverbs" that are shared here and there, and after sharing one of them a character is told "You need a Twitter account!" and they both laugh good naturedly. 

The movie has a very Earnest Hemingway feel to it. Lots of drinking and outrageous things said in semi-humorous fashion. The whole storyline of the main character (Fiennes) facing the father of the boy he accidentally kills is told well and is an interesting exploration of grudges and forgiveness. 

I think the movie would have been good even with mediocre actors. But Fiennes and Chastain bring so much gravity to their roles that it takes the movie to the next level.

I do recommend this movie, but understand it's very adult. I don't think there's any actual nudity, but there's scantily clad people in several scenes. There's some pretty intense violence, and the language is semi-strong. But I think it's a story worth listening to.