Amor Esquecido

8.0 stars.

This will be an instant classic I'm sure of it. This film evoked deep emotions to my core. The screenplay was perfection. The soundtrack was superb. The sets were authentic and noteworthy. The acting was spot on.

The only downside for most of the audience is the language, which is Polish. As far as I know, this is one of the least spoken of the main languages in the developed world, so most will have to read the subtitles or utilize the dubbing. And some of the dubbing is lost in translation, the phrases and slang are outdated (slightly) and many of the voice actors did not capture the intended emphasis or pauses as I would have desired. Notwithstanding, I was still profoundly moved by 'Forgotten Love' ('Znachor').

Something about the Polish culture must take some extra hard work to translate into a Western mindset, however I was extremely entertained. Some of the scenes actually reminded me of great epic films of yesteryear. There are glimpses of the handiwork of many a famous director. And I must reiterate the soundtrack was brilliant and very moving. Many aspects are award-worthy, and hopefully this receives some nominations.

If you have zero trouble with dubbed films, you absolutely must see this. Something about the ambience and the emotional response it brings is difficult to explain without simply advising you to give this film a try and see for yourself.

I must emphasize that I don't want you to raise your hopes too high, because there are some parts that make little sense, slow moments interspersed throughout, maybe some awkward segues between pivotal scenes. On the other hand, there were also scenes which reminded me of 'Legends of the Fall', or perhaps a Jane Austen adaptation, or some great American films from the 1950's, 60's and 70's; and one critic mentioned it is akin to 'Les Miserables' and I wholeheartedly agree.