I enjoyed The Forgettable Life of Liam White not just because it was set and shot in my native Washington, DC, but because the acting was outstanding and the characters were relatable. Shaun Woodland, as Liam White, did a fantastic job portraying the psychological, physical, and emotional roller coaster White experienced with his terminal illness. I easily journeyed with the actor through the various psychological stages he experienced: denial, anger, depression, and finally acceptance.

Central to the story was Liam’s decision not to share his impending death with others and that allowed them, including his girlfriend, to not change their behavior towards him. Without knowing his dilemma, his girlfriend Adrianna (Sasha Wakefield) was left with a decision on whether she should tell Liam that she is pregnant with his child.

The 90-minute movie, set during the holiday season, was not all gloom and doom. Along with the suspense, the characters provided some comic relief such as when White discouraged an inebriated women from making sexually charged advances while cornering him in the kitchen of his friend’s home by elaborately fictionalizing how he infected a long list of people with the claps. 

Jasmine Guy (as Liam’s mother, Rene White) and Terence Carson (as his father, Liam Sr.) truly embodied their characters. Yes, time has passed. Guy and Carson are no longer young adults, but my mind did not wonder back to their earlier roles on A Different World and Living Single, respectively.

The music score supported the mood of the movie and worked well with the script. The music helped the storyline ask the question: What are we going to do with our days on this earth?