Unforgotten: Twenty-Five Years After Willowbrook (1996) User Reviews

Willowbrook still brings tears to Geraldo Rivera!

[Sylviastel · 9/10 · 6 February 2021]

The story of the Willowbrook mental institution on Staten Island in New York City shocked the viewers in the early seventies. The institution closed and the survivors and their family members recount their stories. Danny Aiello is the narrator here. While I would have enjoyed a more narrative account of Willowbook with the shocking footage, the documentary focused on two specific families of Patti Ann and Luis who were residents there. I still think the documentary is relative to understanding why we don't have these institutions. I wished there was a more backstory to Willowbrook. Geraldo Rivera had tears in his eyes recounting covering the place.

Don't View Through A Modern Lense

[bluepestilence · 10/10 · 6 October 2022]

First off this was originally made in 1996. So if you're super sensitive to words and get offended easily, I'd avoid this documentary. It follows survivors of Willowbrook that was shut down in the 70's for special needs children. So the wording reflects the times. Take the context for the times but understand the words used then aren't acceptable now. But again, this was 1996 and they're speaking as they were in the 70's. But otherwise it was fascinating to see how far we've come as a society. The abuse of the residents is absolutely heartbreaking. But the mentality of putting "undesirables" away is no longer what today's society does. It's real eye opening of how things used to be as opposed to how it is now.

If you have sensitive ears, turn your volume DOWN and turn on subtitles.

[sexxybiter · 5/10 · 24 January 2023]

Barely two minutes into this, I had to mute the TV and focus on the subtitles. I would not have been able to watch otherwise. I'm a documentary addict, and I've been watching a lot to do with Willowbrook lately, so I was looking forward to this one. But when the music started, it almost woke up my partner, it did wake up our cats, and it almost triggered a migraine for me. Mind you, my tv volume stays at or below 10 (super quiet) when my partner is in bed so I don't wake him up.

Now onto a review of the documentary content itself: this is a much different view of the institution than what I've seen previously. Of course, until now, I've only seen things involving Willowbrook after it was shut down and abandoned.

I can't get past how ableist this is

[jvenus-07339 · 1/10 · 6 March 2021]

I can't get past how ableist this is to learn more about how traumatic people's exeperiences were being at Willowbrook. The use of the "R" word, "othering", and just how the family members act like their family that went into this home weren't even human is awful to watch as a disabled person. I can't get to 10 minutes in without feeling like this is more for abled people than disabled people.