Moore questions sanity in ‘The Forgotten’

Julianne Moore stars in “The Forgotten” as a mother who insists she remembers a now-deceased child, even when the world insists she never had one. That’s the hook for this fast-paced thriller that blends a tribute to maternal love with psychological twists and more.

“The Forgotten” offers a few parallels to the paranoia that ran through ‘50s sci-fi horror flicks such as “The Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” Moments may also remind filmgoers of the darkly psychological elements in the M. Night Shyamalan (“The Sixth Sense”) film canon.

Other elements offer a strong challenge to credibility.

Telly Paretta (Moore) is tormented by the memory of a 9-year-old son who she believes died in a plane crash 14 months earlier. Her husband, Jim (Anthony Edwards), and her psychiatrist, Dr. Munce (Gary Sinise), insist she’s delusional.

Telly is convinced she’s going mad until she encounters Ash Correll (Dominic West), whose young daughter also was supposedly on the doomed plane. Together, they pursue the question of their own sanity, while police, federal agents and the psychiatrist give chase.

“The Forgotten” is fast-paced and gets quickly into its story, generating tension and moments of surface excitement on par with director Joseph Ruben’s earlier explorations of families under dark clouds, including “The Good Son,” “The Stepfather” and “Sleeping with the Enemy.”

For example, a few chase scenes – on foot and in cars – are invigorating, and the film offers a couple of legitimate jump moments. But like other Ruben films, “The Forgotten” resonates little beyond the end credits.