My quick rating – 4.3/10. Walking into Forgotten Fortune felt a bit like stepping into unfamiliar territory for me. Faith-based films aren’t usually my go-to, but if the motto is “I watch everything so you don’t have to,” then here we are. Consider this one taken for the team…with a side of curiosity and a sprinkle of nostalgia.

Written and directed by Esteban “Stevie” Fernandez Jr., Forgotten Fortune follows Brian Franks, played by Brian Shoop, an 82-year-old retired mailman navigating dementia, old memories, and what he believes is a witnessed murder. It’s a premise that actually has some intrigue baked in. An unreliable narrator, a potential crime, and a hidden fortune tied to a forgotten stock purchase. That’s a solid setup…in theory.

Then the movie starts, and for a minute, you might wonder if you accidentally switched over to a network sitcom from 1993. The tone, the lighting, even the delivery – it all has that slightly too-clean, cue-card-adjacent feel. The dialogue, unfortunately, doesn’t help much. A lot of it lands like actors are carefully reading lines rather than actually living in them, which makes the more emotional dementia-driven moments feel a bit rehearsed.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the content itself is relevant. Seeing a family deal with a relative’s deteriorating mental state should be impactful, but Forgotten Fortune goes to great lengths to round off that impact. It’s not always successful in conveying emotions. Mark Sherwood, playing Brian’s son Mark, stands out as one of the few who feels fully committed to selling the situation.

The mystery side? Let’s just say this isn’t exactly Knives Out. We meet the criminals early, and they’re not exactly criminal masterminds. The “murder” element feels less like a central hook and more like an excuse to keep the Alzheimer’s message moving forward. Even with a couple of bodies in play, the film maintains a surprisingly upbeat tone. Helped along by a soundtrack that politely tells you how to feel every step of the way.

Now, let’s talk about the nostalgia factor. Seeing Jimmie “JJ” Walker on screen again is a fun throwback, especially if you grew up with Good Times reruns like me. And then there’s Lou Ferrigno, forever tied to The Incredible Hulk. I’ll admit, I kept waiting for him to smash through a wall. Sadly, no such luck. Even more shocking? JJ Walker makes it through the entire movie without dropping a “Dyn-o-mite!” Honestly, that might be the biggest missed opportunity here.

The finale is where things wobble the most. There’s a bizarre sequence involving cops and criminals swapping guns like it’s some kind of low-budget Secret Santa. Strange choice. Not a great one, but definitely a memorable one for all the wrong reasons.

To its credit, Forgotten Fortune never feels overly preachy. The faith-based elements are clear but not aggressively pushed. And the core message about caring for aging family members and recognizing the signs of Alzheimer’s is sincere. To top it all off, the film ends on a meaningful note with some statistics.

At the end of the day, this is a very average watch with a clear target audience. If you’re in that lane, it may appeal to you. If not, like me, you might find yourself appreciating the intent more than the execution. And still wondering how you make a movie with JJ Walker and not let him say his line.

There are no streaming links as of yet since this one hasn’t been released. I probably wouldn’t have run across this one if I hadn’t been sent an early look from my buddy, Staci. So thank you! I know this will probably become the norm, but I am not a fan of seeing a notice on this screener informing me that “This video contains visuals and audio that were edited or generated by AI.”