Drew (Aaron Orr) is a forest ranger who meets yuppie Mark (Matthew Montgomery) after he falls while rock climbing. Mark wakes up in the hospital with amnesia and sees that Drew has remained by his side since the accident. Drew offers to move in with Mark to help him out until he regains his memory, which propels the two men into a passionate affair. But things start to change as Mark’s memory slowly returns.

Set in a small community near wooded park lands, Gone, But Not Forgotten marks Michael Akers’ directorial debut.

Beyond a few of the film’s unpolished edges (a few awkwardly written, acted and filmed scenes, such as an argument between Mark and Drew), the film was very pleasant. The two lead actors worked well together, and their chemistry together was evident during their innocent “Is he?” flirting moments and beyond as those feelings matured. Dr. Mary Williams (Bryna Weiss) was a natural for the selection as a health-care provider and was the only one in the film who didn’t seem to be acting.

Gone, But Not Forgotten will not be confused with one of Hollywood’s blockbusters. This film suffered from a low-budget ambiance that was sometimes distracting. This feeling was manifested through unintentionally empty sets that left homes feeling cold and uninviting. However, empty rooms were more than compensated for by the many outdoor scenes that may make you want to go camping.

This movie marks both of the leading actor’s third film role, and while Montgomery will later perform in other LGBT films such as Socket (2007) and Pornography (2009), this movie marked Orr’s last performance to date. In addition to directing, Akers also wrote and produced the film.

For the LGBT audience, Gone, But Not Forgotten provides a strong gay romance, plenty of man-on-man action, and lots of skin, including male rear nudity (Montogomery and Orr). As with many gay films, homosexuality is seen as a negative by some of the characters and provides a source of conflict. The love interests are monogamous to each other although the storyline provides gray area.

The movie is unrated, 94-minutes in length, spoken in English and was released in 2003 by United Gay Network.

This film is very enjoyable and is recommend–strongly recommended for couples who enjoy both mystery and romance.

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