Whilst The Forgiven definitely feels its length it's still a really good drama that skillfully critiques many of the worst tendencies of the upper class whilst wisely humanising those who are often depicted as stereotypes.

Ralph Fiennes gives a great lead performance that's unafraid to be unlikable and buoyed by his solid chemistry with Saïd Taghmaoui, whose one of the most human, earnest and likeable characters in the whole film. Ismael Kanater is also great, equally human and full of heartbreaking pain and anguish.

John Michael McDonagh's direction is really good, prioritising nice framing and some clever transitions over mobility. The old Hollywood style credits are a nice touch too. The music by Lorne Balfe is really evocative and memorable if a little overused.

It's set about 2020 in the Moroccan desert at a luxurious villa during a large weekend party. The film examines the interactions among the Western hosts and party guests and their intersection with local Moroccans, especially after a fatal accident.

David Henninger (Ralph Fiennes) is a high-functioning alcoholic British oncologist with a much younger wife, Jo (Jessica Chastain). Jo is an author of children's books but has not published for nearly 10 years. They're on their way, driving at night towards the party hosted by David's old friend, Richard Galloway (Matt Smith),and Galloway's partner, Dally Margolis (Caleb Landry Jones). Unfortunately, Henninger is driving too fast and arguing with Jo when they hit and kill a teenage Moroccan who appears to be preparing to rob them.

The film then follows two threads--The first is the "investigation" by the police, the arrival of the dead boy's father, Abdellah Taheri (Ismael Kanater),and David's reluctant agreement to return with Abdellah to his home in the desert as part of the grieving process.

The second thread follows the ongoing party at the villa and Jo's interaction with the hosts and with Tom Day (Christopher Abbott),an American financial advisor and perpetual playboy. In the background observing are Moroccan staff like Anouar (Saïd Taghmaoui).

This is not a flattering picture of Westerners, but the Moroccans also lack a clear understanding of the Westerners. The title hints at a resolution that may or may not have meaning. For me, the ending was unsatisfying but not surprising. In fact, it was a bit telegraphed.

Ralph Fiennes is excellent as a racial bigot forced to confront himself in the desert. Ismael Kanater is good as the grief-stricken father who is ambivalent about how to respond to his son's death.

The movie has gotten mixed reviews; I actually thought it was good in exploring intercultural relationships, especially myopic Western arrogance about non-Western cultures.

The sets and landscapes are breathtaking. The cinematography outstanding. The performances are all stellar. And even though the pacing is slow enough to make the 117 min runtime feel much longer, writer and director John Michael McDonagh still manages to capture every special close-up shot and proverbial comment well enough to drive the hidden messages right through your heart.

However, as pretty and shiny as this film is, all the bloated intrigue and drama fails to deliver the true depth of the film. There's just too much filler and not enough substance. This film needed the mysteries and messaging to be harder, and the shallow pretentious eye-candy to be softer. Even the predicable ending could've been more exciting.

Nevertheless, a beautifully shot film with excellent performances that still manages to deliver a thought provoking message when morality is crossed with spoiled and entitled privilege, and the consequences that follow. It's a great one-time watch and a well deserved 7/10 from me.