Gone, But Not Forgotten

The actors aren't very good looking and don't really act very well. The storyline of a guy with amnesia whose past life is unknown is rather predictable and despite what another reviewer here says, there's really not any "mystery" to it. The movie seems to be shot on a handy cam. But despite all this, I enjoyed the 90 minutes I spent watching this movie and found it to be quite engaging. The lovely locales surely helped. And maybe even the fact that our heroes aren't good looking but are sweet and ordinary (Drew's face reminds me of a cute chipmunk). Anyway, an independent gay movie is bound to suffer when compared to slick Hollywood movies, so I think it's best not to go there. I recommend this movie to all gay people, but don't go in expecting Bareback Mountain.

This little movie, made on a shoestring budget with a small cast and crew, cannot fairly be compared with a multi-million dollar Hollywood production. In spite of any production limitations, this is a true gem... A simply delightful little film.

I'm sure that most of us have a short list of movies that are the entertainment equivalent of soul food - movies that we watch over and over again... we may not fully understand why we like the movie, but it gives us a sense of inner peace - for me, "Gone, But Not Forgotten" is such a film. I found the story refreshingly different from the mainstream gay-themed movies and I thought that the two principal actors, Aaron Orr and Matthew Montgomery were excellent, particularly in the very well crafted love scene.

It doesn't take a huge budget and expensive special effects to tell a story well. All it takes is a good storyteller... and Michael D. Akers and Sandon Berg, along with their excellent cast, have managed to tell an interesting and unusual story in an honest and straightforward way.

It's great to see such an endearing movie that doesn't rely on the usual gay storylines of AIDS, coming out, or campy drag queens. Wearing it's heart on its sleave, `Gone, But Not Forgotten' is a charming, adult, romantic love story with a touch of mystery from writer, director, producer, and editor Michael D. Akers. This guy does it all and on a shoestring budget! But with an intriguing story and a fine cast it's first class all the way! Shot on digital video, which does give it a home video feel to it and takes some getting used to, but once you settle in, it's an enjoyable trek.

Shot in and around Yosemite National Park the story revolves around an openly gay forest ranger named Drew (Aaron Orr) who's rescued a young man, Mark (Matthew Montgomery), from an accident that leaves him with amnesia in a smalltown hospital. Drew takes him `under his wing', they develop a friendship, and ultimately a relationship. But as the story unfolds and Mark begins to remember his past, through a series of flashbacks to what led up to his accident, he begins to question who he is and where he is headed. Is he gay or straight? Will he stay with Drew or go back to his previous life, whatever that may be? Mark's not the only one with secrets but Drew holds some of his own as well regarding his past and his relationship with his brother. They're all revealed as the story continues and ultimately come together in a satisfying ending.

Rounding out the film are some supporting roles played by Joel Bryant as Drew's estranged brother Paul, Brenda Lasker as the sister-in-law and Bryna Weiss as Dr. Mary Williams.

There are some moments that seemed a bit over-the-top and somewhat unbelievable, but as a first time effort Michael Akers has done a fine job with his ensemble cast. But it's the male leads that drew me in and found their relationship sweet and charming. The culmination between the two comes in the form of one of the best, most intimate, sex scenes I've seen and is most tastefully done. The questions the story posed were also intriguing with regards to amnesia, sexual orientation and past memories. Intriguing.

It's not without its flaws but overall I really enjoyed this independent film and look forward to Mr. Akers next directorial effort. Grab a big bowl of popcorn, settle back on your couch and enjoy!

OK, so I've watched the maybe five good English speaking gay themed movies released over the last five years. My internet rental queue has about 70 titles for which I remain ever hopeful. One after another, they rate anywhere from simple horrible to pointless, depressing, tedious, condescending, or French horrible. Hope has not completely vanished, but expectations are no longer exceedingly high.

Maybe low expectation was why I liked this movie. I certainly think way too high expectation is why some others did not. The best of film makers would be hard pressed to do better with a budget that wouldn't pay for food service on most movie sets and undoubtedly filmed in less time than a big budget director spends picking his nose. Come on, this little guy deserves a break. The story is feasible and interesting situationally. The characters are believable and their interactions seem real without stereotype. The storyline is laid out in a logical fashion. There is a point. The acting is at least up to soap opera standards. Problems that hound gay relationships are addressed honestly. The video format seems very fitting for the simple, small town, natural surroundings in which it was filmed. The guys are aesthetically decent enough. And it has one of the best choreographed romantic love scenes of any gay movie, big budget or not. As far as pace, this is indeed not an action packed, ADHD storyline, but the pace does thankfully allow the characters to develop. It's just a nice story to let you know the big bad world is not going to always eat you alive.

"Gone but not Forgotten" is more like a granola bar grabbed at the checkout counter rather than say, "Foie Gras en Terrine", at the French Laundry. Simple, momentarily satisfying, and basically healthy. I hope it gets judged accordingly.

This movie was a wonderful surprise for me. From the reviews and basic plot synopses I'd read, I was already pretty sure I'd like it. What I didn't expect was to fall completely in love with it. I was immediately drawn into the storyline with characters I really cared about. With his very first scene, Aaron Orr drew me to his character, and throughout the movie, proceeded to make me laugh with and cry for Drew. His chemistry with Matthew Montgomery was nothing short of electric, and the two of them easily made me forget that Drew and Mark were only characters on the screen.

The less polished production quality is one of the things I love most, and I'm amazed at how the cast and crew put this little gem together on such a tight budget. I've been recommending this film to everyone I know!