namashi_1 'Missing' Directed by Costa-Gavras, is compelling, disturbing & unforgettable. Based on a shocking true-story, this tale on search & what it takes to be one when a war wages on, is rich storytelling from start to finish. And it always helps if you have The Late/Great Jack Lemmon & Sissy Spaeck as the leading-players.'Missing' Synopsis: When an idealistic American writer disappears during the Chilean coup d'état in September 1973, his wife and father try to find him.'Missing' is about a father & a wife, who go searching for their missing, righteous son. We watch the father & his daughter-in-law helplessly search for their loved one, who disappears in the middle of a gruesome bloodbath in the US-backed Chilean coup of 1973. Its a heartbreaking true-story & shows the after-effect of having lost someone, with gut-wrenching honesty. This is a dramatic film, that demands your attention & condemns violence as loudly as it should, before and now. Costa-Gavras & Donald E. Stewart's Oscar-Winning Screenplay (Based on Thomas Hauser's book by the same name) is Terrific. Costa-Gavras' Direction is excellent. Cinematography is skillfully done. Editing offers sharpness. Art & Costume Design are perfect. Vangelis' Score is superb, as always.Performance-Wise: Lemmon & Spacek, together, are an Acting Dynamo. As the grieving father & wife, Lemmon & Spaeck form a bond of truth & electrify the screen with their strong portrayals. Their work here makes 'Missing' an even more powerful film. Hats off!On the whole, 'Missing' is a big winner. Two Big Thumbs Up!

bkoganbing Growing up in the Fifties as the USA hunkered down in the Cold War it was a nostrum repeated to us time and again that no country ever chose Communism by a democratic election. When the people of Chile elected Marxist Salvador Allende with a plurality of the vote that could no longer be said. But for the USA Allende maybe because he was elected and not part of a coup he was like an aberration that had to be expunged one way or another. In the world of geopolitics Chile would be quite a prize for the other side. It's one of the leading suppliers of copper and probably the leading supplier to the world of nitrates. Can't let that country go red.So with this in mind our Central Intelligence Agency directed a military coup against Allende who either committed suicide or was murdered by those who rose against him. A very brutal dictator named Augusto Pinochet took over and his reprisals were long and bloody. Sometimes they extended to foreigners as they did in Missing.The story of Missing concerns the father and the wife of the missing John Shea who was a free lance journalist who like so many simply vanished when it was known he was an opponent of the regime. John Shea is seen at the beginning of Missing and he's a guy who hasn't quite settled down and thinking maybe this free lance journalism is what I'm meant for, finally. He fails to listen to the advice a few friends to be more discreet and not so obviously noting down the answers people give him.When he goes missing his father played by Jack Lemmon comes down from America and joins Sissy Spacek who is Shea's wife. Father and daughter-in-law search everywhere and are given nothing but stonewalling answers from the Chileans and the American officials on the scene. What Shea's cardinal sin was the discovery of those unofficial Americans on the scene, mostly of military background which contrasts the official line that America had not a thing to do with Allende's overthrow. Lemmon and Spacek got Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Best Actress for Missing. Lemmon who most people identify with as a comic actor kept surprising us his entire life with dramatic performances that were special. The politics of Missing are diverted when Lemmon is on and we concentrate on a father's overwhelming grief and confusion over the fate of his son. He knows the worst has happened, that's confirmed by all he sees. Yet Lemmon's expressions tell all and the same could be said for Sissy Spacek.Missing was also up for Best Picture and did win an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. It was up that year against the grand pageantry of Gandhi as were a few other worthwhile films. Missing is one unsavory story that should be told and retold.

jingren_98 On 9th March 1928, Christine Collins lost her only son and went on a long and difficult journey to find him.In September 1973, Ed Horman lost his only son and went on a long and difficult journey to find him.Within 50 years, 2 similar incidents happened in America, how's that even possible!?"Missing" was released in 1982 while "Changeling" was released in 2008. I watched both of them yesterday. After watching these 2 movies, my condolences for the Hormans and Mrs. Collins were indescribably strong; and my anger for the corruptions within the various governments can't be described using words. Even until now, I'm still so angry and "amazed" by how pathetically corrupted the law and government can be.No doubt that "Missing" was, is and will still be one of the most powerful and influential political thrillers ever! As usual, Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek gave stunning performances. The movie kept me in suspense until the very end. Despite the movie's length, the perfectly crafted dialogue and incidents kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire 2 hours.This Oscar-winning movie remained as one of Hollywood's best thrillers. 10/10, worth- watching as long as you're not easily bored.

Bene Cumb In comparison with recent Argo, for example... Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek, however, give a magnificent performance helping to bring the movie beyond blunt anti-U.S. attitudes. In the event of coups, dictatorships etc. there are - sadly enough - there are victims on all sides and even a holding of a citizenship of a friendly country does not automatically grant extra privileges.As the plot is based on true story and if you know the background, you know the course of events and the ending as well. I did not and so everything was thrilling to monitor as there were no indications if/when someone gets hurt or killed, or not. There are plenty of moments where the options are 50:50 - as during military-related situations, soldiers may act as they please without fearing to be punished.Nevertheless, Missing can be considered as a gifted political movie - Costa-Cavras has always been a sign of quality.