The Wives He Forgot (2006)

Directed by: Mario Azzopardi | 87 minutes | drama | Actors: Molly Ringwald, Mark Humphrey, Shannon Sturges, Maxim Roy, Ellen Dubin, Linda Thorson, Lara Azzopardi, Sean mcCann, Karl Pruner, Kevin Rushton, Hrant Alianak, Katie Bergin, JC Kenny, Sylvia Mina, Scott Hurst

‘The Wives He Forgot’ was made for television and also contains the ingredients for a real evening at home in front of the tube. Not the means for a cinema smasher in terms of budget, acting talent and visual aspects, but a story in the guise of a film, comparable to series such as ‘Law & Order’ or an episode of another court or lawyer series. Because the fringe aspects of the film are not startling, the story of the film is crucial to bind the viewer and to keep the attention. Herein lies the strength of this television drama, because the story is well put together. The plot isn’t great, but it’s exciting right up to the end, and not completely predictable either. The accents in the story are in the right place, so that on the one hand the tension is maintained, and on the other hand the viewer finds enough space to think along and guess.

The role of Charlotte is not tailor-made for Molly Ringwald, who does her best to make Charlotte a kind of Bridget Jones character, but she knows how to push the entire acting level of the film to a high level. She falls short in the court part in particular, but that is compensated by her charms and her cheerful appearance. She even manages to give the film some humor here and there. The court part is necessary for the story, but the way it’s infused into the film kind of makes you doze off at this part as a viewer. The film could have been a little more outspoken here. The jury part, which has always been a difficult factor for a Dutch audience, is also meager. The role of the amnesiac Gabriel, played by Mark Humphrey, is decisive for the film. Because of his amnesia, he is mysterious from the outset. His caring identity and masculine appearance make him a real adonis to women, and a sympathetic acquaintance to others. His role is well portrayed, and the interaction between him and Molly Ringwald’s Charlotte is also fine. The acting performances of the other actors certainly lag behind, but are still sufficient for a television film.