by Joseph Davis, Contributing Writer
So I’m going to admit something: It took me a long time to choose what film to cover for this month’s Out of Market. Mostly, this was because of the fact that as I searched for a movie that I felt would be a good choice, either I couldn’t get into it, or the film I found was from a country that I had already highlighted recently, and I didn’t want to have a repeat so early on. That is when, as I was scrolling through the international selection on Netflix, I stumbled upon the film Forgotten Love, or Znachor in Polish. And let me tell you, after finishing this film, it may very well be the best I’ve seen for this column.
Author’s note: There are scenes in this film depicting the causes of serious injuries, including to a child, that some viewers might find triggering.
First, I want to talk about the acting in this film. This is one portion that I consider to be absolutely perfect. Our main character is Rafal Wilczur/Antoni Kosiba (Leszek Lichota), a brilliant surgeon, who, after his wife leaves him with their child, loses his memory in a mugging and disappears from the world he knew. How he conveys his situation is absolutely fantastic, as he plays the emotional highs and lows in his situation, truly feeling genuine. It pulls you in as you wonder, upon meeting people from his past, if his memory will come back to him. It’s also brilliant to see those who knew him from the past, some not old enough to truly remember them, while others looking as if they saw a ghost, such as Doctor Jerzy Dobraniecki (Miroslaw Haniszewski). Every moment just clicks perfectly into place during this film, from events where Kosiba’s forgotten life as Wilzcur pokes through the cracks as he performs procedures he knows how to do, but not why. Every aspect feels well thought out and perfectly considered, and it pays off wonderfully.
I also really like the inclusion of dueling romance plots. I say “dueling,” as we have a romance plot for Kosiba after he helps repair the wagon of one Zoska (Anna Szymanczyk), owner of a nearby flower mill, which develops as Kosiba both helps in the mill, but also begins to help with the people in the nearby town, as they have occasional illnesses or injuries. Meanwhile, by sheer coincidence, a young woman named Maria (Maria Kowalska), who comes to the same town to work in the local tavern, is soon courted by the local Count Leszek Czynski (Ignacy Liss). Once more, this film rises to the occasion of where both romances feel truly genuine, all the way down to the younger couple dealing with someone angered by their romance alongside the clash of the higher society viewing down upon the lower classes. I couldn’t help but find myself legitimately rooting for both couples to succeed, not only in their relationships, but in their lives as well. Especially with Maria and the Count, as more and more challenges arise, the more I hope that their romance can rise to the occasion to best these challenges.
So, dear reader, if you want a truly heartwarming film with a double meaning to it, much as the title does during my post-watch research (in Polish the original title means Charlatan, while in Russian it means Medicine Man, both of which are quite fitting for this film), then Forgotten Love is perfect for you. While it may not be nominated for an Oscar, it well and truly stands out to me as being worthy of a watch. I often struggle with movies where there are plots feel contrived and out of place, and not once in this film does it feel like something is out of place or forced, and each passing scene works perfectly to build the characters and the story.
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