Ricardo Fernandes Life is often far more complicated than a choice between what we think it's right or wrong. There are so many variables in the game of living, that even after the consequences of the actions we are unable to evaluate the results.Once again, Michael Shannon surprises us with an extraordinary interpretation of a dense character. The narrative is linear, but the pieces of the puzzle are put together in the right place and time.Intense darkness and light, irony, sadness, brief fun, every ingredient turns this cocktail into an extraordinary beverage with an exquisite taste.Make no mistake, this is a superior film.

jotix100 It might be easy to dismiss "The Missing Person" as a derivative film that tries to cash on the noir genre. Staying with it will pay off, even though it is an uneven picture, only saved by the mood and the atmosphere director Noah Buschel created for his audience. The film delves into a story that is logical and it makes one wonder how many other cases like the one at the center of the story have been taken advantage of by unscrupulous people trying to cash in a truly American tragedy.John Rosow tells us in the opening passages about the only thing that made him become involved in this mystery was because he answered a telephone call. Little did he know he was going to be drawn into an intriguing tale following a man that, for all practical purposes, has been proclaimed dead. When he is made an offer he cannot refuse following Harold Fullmer to Los Angeles from Chicago, he has no idea what he will become involved in.Harold Fullmer was supposed to have died on the 9/11 attacks to the World Trade Center in New York. What nobody knows is that he has survived the tragedy and has decided to get a new life away from his past. Harold decides to save young children that have been abused against their will. He brings them into a Mexican town where a shady character is supposed to see they are returned to their innocent lives before they were made victims.Noah Buschel, the creator of the film, has gone for style and mood, rather than a plausible story. One can only questions Fullmer's vision about the good deeds he is supposed to be doing. Turning the damaged children he is supposed to be saving to a man whose morals leave a lot to be desired, does not speak well of his sense of justice. The character of John Rosow recalls a cross between other screen sleuths, mainly Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe, to mention just two. The enigmatic Charlie, a peripheral minor player is also an enigma. Ultimately John Rosow's role in that fatal attack is revealed and his motive of siding with Fullmer is clearly understood.Michael Shannon makes an impressive Rosow. This young actor keeps getting better all the time. He is an actor that takes a while to get used to, but he delivers big time as the complex man that has also suffered a great loss. Amy Ryan has a small role as Charlie. The excellent Margaret Colin serves as a distraction for Rosow in Los Angeles while his investigation is in full swing. Frank Wood looks catatonic most of the time in his take of Harold Fullmer.

picknpen There is only one spoiler for this movie, and it lies in the fundamental reason for its existence. This is not a noir. I can see how the mistake can be made, due to its laconic style, but there are fairly rigid genre rules which The Missing Person simply does not meet. I kept waiting for the noir to develop, and became impatient until I realized it never would. Shannon's performance, along with the feel and the tone of the film kept me involved during the rough spots (and there are a few). This movie is about one thing: theme. To me, the meandering in the early narrative mirrors the disconnected nature of the protagonist: lost and adrift, sleepwalking through the job, mired in his own drunken alienation.The plot is often clumsy, and the story might have been told better at times, but when you spin through it all, including the almost unbearable chunk of exposition in the NY apartment where Gus and Rosow flesh out the plot machinations, you reach the undeniably powerful realization that this movie is about dealing with life-crushing loss.The question I entertained through it all was: who is the missing person? Initially, it was Fullmer, then Rosow's wife, but ultimately, it was Rosow himself.Not a perfect film by any means, but the final impact redeems it from all the tangential trivialities one has to sort through on the way.Reminded me (in that way) of The Big Kahuna: frustrating at times, but the ultimate payoff makes everything worthwhile.

Sundance Girl This movie reminded me a bit of James Gray's movies. Simply shot, actor driven, quiet, sincere, and romantic. While "The Missing Person" is much more of an art film than "Two Lovers," I left with the same feeling of having just watched something very personal and very moving. I don't want to give away too much about this movie, but ultimately it is a film about loneliness and being alone. Sound like a downer? It's not. Michael Shannon delivers his best performance yet as a drunk detective who likes to crack himself up with bad jokes(he cracked up the Sundance audience too.) Amy Ryan, Margaret Colin, and a bunch of other familiar faces provide moments of humor and sadness. Mostly what impressed me about "The Missing Person" was that it wasn't hip or clever. And not fancy either. In fact it was almost the opposite of every movie I saw at Sundance. It was mostly just good, honest film-making . Rare qualities indeed in independent film these days.