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The Forgiven

The Forgiven

Everything must be faced.

2021117 minRMidcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Director
John Michael McDonagh
Starring
Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Matt Smith, Caleb Landry Jones

Over a weekend in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco, a random accident reverberates through the lives of both the local Muslims and Western visitors to a house party in a grand villa.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Forgiven?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Forgiven streaming on Netflix and Tubi (free) and to rent or buy on Apple TV and Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Forgiven?

The Forgiven earns 6 badges, led by Visual feast and Standout acting.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Forgiven worth watching?

The Forgiven's Midcredits score is the 43rd percentile of all films, from 27K ratings across 5 sources. 44% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

43rd percentile

Better received than 43% of films

40th percentile among Drama44th percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)42nd
Approval (how many liked it)44th

59 /100

42nd percentile of all films

40th percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2020s

Critics 59 · Audience 59

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.2 — solid but not unanimous.

44% liked it

44th percentile of all films

40th percentile among Drama45th percentile among 2020s
44% rated it 7–1056% rated it 1–6

Critics 68% · Audience 57%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of critics approved than audiences.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 0 wins / 1 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

93rd percentile

27K ratings across platforms

94th percentile among Drama94th percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 12% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$135K
Domestic gross$340K
Worldwide gross$1.4M

64th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

The film is a slow-burn drama about a drunken hit-and-run accident in Morocco that contrasts wealthy Western hedonists with local Muslim culture.

Fans praised

  • exquisite cinematography captures the desert landscapes
  • Ralph Fiennes delivers a standout performance as a deeply unlikable man
  • thought-provoking culture-clash moral drama

Detractors panned

  • shallow script full of clichés and stereotypes
  • plot moves too slowly and drags on without payoff
  • unlikable characters make it impossible to care

What stands out

Cinematography85

stunning desert landscapes and beautiful shots of Morocco

Acting80

Ralph Fiennes lauded as the highlight, Chastain and supporting cast also praised; detractors note wasted talent

DialogueDivisive55

witty one-liners appreciated by some, but many find it forced and unnatural

Plot and storyDivisive45

intriguing premise undermined by execution; some find it thought-provoking, others pointless

CharactersDivisive40

mostly unlikable, shallow Western elites; fans find nuanced complexity, detractors see stereotypes

PacingDivisive35

slow and dragging, many found it boring and overlong

EndingDivisive35

divisive finale, many find it unearned or unsatisfying

Originality30

criticized as derivative and clichéd 'rich white people bad' trope

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by Non-US Viewers

Non-US viewers scored it 14 points higher than US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 8 points apart
  • Critics vs users 3 points apart

Watch experience

What is The Forgiven like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Dark and unsettling: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are ready for heavy feelings, and you want something dark that stays with you.

It leaves you haunted. Skip it when you want an easy night.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Room for heavy feelings.

What it feels like

Dark and unsettling.

The answer rests on this: Moods
TenseMelancholic
Heaviest: throughout
Register
Sardonic · 1% of films: Mocking with a bitter edge.Solemn: Grave and dignified; treats its subject with weight and respect.
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.Episodic · 13% of films: Loosely connected incidents rather than one driving plot.
ToneThe film plays its material straight, with a cold, observant eye on the wealthy's indifference, balancing acerbic dialogue with somber reflection.
The rideThe premise maintains a sustained tension and moral gravity from the accident onward.
StructureThe film moves from the accident, to the party, to David's journey, with the latter half unfolding as a series of episodic encounters in the desert.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Haunted.

The answer rests on this: Haunting · 14% of filmsThought-provoking
Why it leaves you this wayThe film leaves the viewer with a lingering unease about privilege and morality, and the quiet dignity of the father's grief stays with you.
How it ends · evidence
Bittersweet ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).Voyage
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10%: Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4% (this title): Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% (this title) · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Voyage and return: Into a strange world and back again, changed. · Survival ordeal: Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).

4% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypeThe story follows David's forced journey into the desert with the boy's father—a survival ordeal in a hostile environment—rather than a conventional plot archetype, though this journey is the spine of the film.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfJusticeMorality
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22%: Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% (this title) · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16% (this title): Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% (this title) · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Morality

Justice · 13% of filmsGuilt · 3% of filmsClass · 3% of films
Interrogates its theme: Questions its theme without settling the answer.Intimate stakes: Consequences reach a person or a household.Dual lead
How it treats its themeThe film explores the clash between a wealthy couple's privilege and a father's demand for a simple, profound justice.
StanceThe film questions the meaning of justice and privilege through the tense standoff between two men.

The world

ContemporaryRuralWildernessRealistic
Orchestral modernSupportive music · original score · Lorne Balfe
SettingMoroccan desert, traveling between a party and a remote village
MusicLorne Balfe's score likely underscores the desert's vastness and the moral tension.

Content guide

Is The Forgiven okay for kids?

R

The Forgiven is rated R: “Rated R for language throughout, drug use, some sexual content and brief violence” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at moderate (52/100), sexual content at moderate (50/100), language at intense (65/100), drug and alcohol content at intense (71/100) and frightening material at moderate (52/100). Overall it is heavier than 43% of R-rated films.

Ratings in 8 other countries
  • UK18
  • CanadaR
  • AustraliaMA 15+
  • France12
  • Ireland18
  • New ZealandM
  • Netherlands16
  • Spain16
Overall
Moderate · all five categories
Heavier than 66% of all filmsHeavier than 43% of R-rated films
Violence & Gore
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 28%
Sex & Nudity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 53%
Profanity
Intense · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 48%
Alcohol & Drugs
Intense
heavy for an R-rated film
heavier than 89%
Frightening / Intense
Moderate
typical for an R-rated film
heavier than 34%

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

The reason to think twice is drug and alcohol content and language. Everything else sits at or below what R-rated films usually carry.

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Forgiven have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Forgiven?

Cast

3 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Ralph Fiennes
as David Henninger
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Jessica Chastain
as Jo Henninger
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Matt Smith
as Richard Galloway
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Caleb Landry Jones
as Dally Margolis
Abbey Lee
as Cody
Rising: A short career with a standing when this film came out above the median working actor today.
Christopher Abbott
as Tom Day
Marie-Josée Croze
as Isabelle
Alex Jennings
as Lord Swanthorne
Saïd Taghmaoui
as Anouar
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.
David McSavage
as William Joyce

Crew

More like this

What are movies like The Forgiven?

Movies like The Forgiven include Five Fingers (2006), Morocco (1930) and Hell in the Pacific (1968). Of the 6 closest matches, most are films set in North Africa, and half are stories about unlikely alliances.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Explore by

What else shares a premise, people or place with The Forgiven?

1.4K other films share the rarest tag below, follows: doctor. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.