''Forgive and Forget'' is a 2000 British

made-for-television A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

film in which a young latent gay man confronts his sexuality and increasing jealousy when his best friend moves in with his new girlfriend. The film was broadcast on ITV on 3 January 2000.

Plot

The close friendship between plasterer David (

Steve John Shepherd Stephen John Shepherd (born 1 August 1973) is an English actor. He is known for his portrayals of Jo in the TV drama '' This Life'' and Michael Moon in the soap opera '' EastEnders'' from 2010 to 2013. Personal life Shepherd was born in Lond ...

) and mature-aged student Theo (

John Simm John Ronald Simm (born 10 July 1970) is an English actor, director, and musician. He is best known for playing Sam Tyler in ''Life on Mars'', the Master in ''Doctor Who,'' and DS Roy Grace in ''Grace.'' His other television credits include '' S ...

) becomes threatened when Theo reveals that he intends to move in with Hannah ( Laura Fraser), his photographer girlfriend of six months. The short-tempered David, intensely protective of his best friend, plots to break the pair up, using Hannah's insecurities against them. When they do separate, David reveals his sexual orientation and true feelings for Theo on his favourite talk-show, Judith Adams' (

Meera Syal Meera Syal FRSL (born Feroza Syal; 27 June 1961) is a English comedian, writer, playwright, singer, journalist and actress. She rose to prominence as one of the team that created '' Goodness Gracious Me'' and portraying Sanjeev's grandmother, ...

) ''Forgive and Forget''.

Cast

Reception

Writing for ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', Dennis Harvey has mixed feeling about the script, praising Mark Burt's balance of "the primary character trio's unremarkable yet complex emotions, framing them in well-captured pub/construction site/family milieus." But felt that the "somewhat gratuitous running gag—glimpses of the titular, fictional chat show, a kinder-gentler ''

Jerry Springer Gerald Norman Springer (born February 13, 1944) is a British-American broadcaster, journalist, actor, producer, former lawyer, and politician. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Jerry Springer'' between September 30, 1991 and July 26, 2018, an ...

''-type mix of real folks and hot-button topics—suddenly takes center stage." He added that this "good little movie abruptly grows loud, large and heavy-handed in the last reel." Harvey praised the acting saying that "there's much to enjoy here, particularly in the uniformly fine cast. … Shepherd … is a real find, convincingly rendering David as withdrawn, laddish and lovesick all at once. Apart from some killing-time interludes set to pop tunes, and the rather cheesy flash of horizontal-wipe scene transitions, helmer Aisling Walsh lends material both youthful breeziness and emotional weight." ''Filmcritic.coms Christopher Null dismissed the film, declaring that if "you manage to stay interested, well, you're a stouter fellow than I." ''TV Guides Troy Lambert wrote that despite "the reality-challenged script, director Aisling Walsh delivers decent performances from the cast, especially Shepherd, Simm and Fraser as the unlikely three-way.""Forgive and Forget", "TV Guide" ebsite

, accessed 1 September 2015.

References

External links

{{Aisling Walsh 2000 drama films British LGBT-related films Gay-related films LGBT-related drama films 2000 LGBT-related films 2000 films 2000s English-language films 2000s British films British drama television films