Not to Forget never lets the audience think it is going to be anything other than a deeply sentimental story. The plot revolves around a con artist who has to take care of his grandmother who is affected by Alzheimer’s. Before long, he realizes he may have stumbled on the ultimate heist. It soon becomes a question of whether family values will overcome greed.
This is not a plot that allows for much wiggle room. It is clear there is going to be a lot of metaphoric hand-wringing and melodrama. The good thing is Not to Forget tips its hand early on. Everyone going into this will know exactly what they are getting in to. The flip side is that the film runs the risk of becoming an overly emotional lecture if not done correctly.
Not to Forget tip toes that line the entire time and in many cases, crosses it. In order for a character driven story to work, it needs to have people the audience can get behind. The cast here is a strong one that includes names such as Olympia Dukakis and Cloris Leachman. They do the best with the material they are given, but none of the performances seem genuine.
This is especially disappointing since the film will touch those who know someone that is dealing with Alzheimer’s. There are moments of delicacy that belie the clumsy writing seen throughout Not to Forget. As predictable as the ending is, it is still hard to accept. This will be a difficult watch for anyone who does not enjoy Hallmark movies.
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