Synopsis: Heidi and Jane are best friends living in a small town in the desert. When Jane, a Rodeo Queen contestant and military wife goes missing, Heidi, now alone in the world, must begin a search across the desert for her friend. She digs up secrets and encounters the violence of life on the road, crossing paths with a series of unusual men and women in her search for an honest connection in a dishonest world
It stars:
Lucy Fry (Godfather of Harlem, Bright)
Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver, Hobbs & Shaw, Godzilla vs. Kong)
Sheila Vand (Argo, A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, We the Animals, Snowpiercer),
Black Berris (Breaking Bad, Never Grow Old, Before You Know It),
Christian Camargo (See, Days and Nights)
and is Written and directed by Alexandra McGuinness (Lotus Eaters, Riders).
At the start, I witnessed the desert and this wild open landscape. It is such an incredible place to film, especially for a story such as this. Everything seems so isolated and empty. She’s Missing captures that same very feeling and utilises it well.
The story drifts at a slow pace. It’s not trying to race through its plot and I personally don’t mind that. Everything that happens as the film develops is just kind of odd and mysterious. It’s almost as if the film is lost at times. This being both a positive and negative feature.
Even as we enter the main part of the story, it continues in this way. It is showcasing the weird nature and people you might find in these desolate places. Heidi struggles to get a straight answer on to where Jane has gone. You experience her desperation, her struggle and in a way, it is upsetting to see how devoted she is.
I‘ve thoroughly enjoyed Eiza Gonzalez in Baby Driver, she was one of my favourite characters. It’s great to see she does not disappoint here either. Eiza carries such charismatic charm and portrays Jane’s mysterious nature well. It does hold a few similarities to the character of Darling in Baby Driver. You never know what she’s thinking or what she’s going to do next.
Lucy Fry is also just as pleasing to see but in a very different way. The character she plays (Heidi) seems so emotionally lost or held back. She’s stuck in one place with her one friend and nowhere to go. Her friend is everything to her and she could never leave. The portrayal of this emotionally reserved character is a reminder of those times we’ve all felt lost. Yet she would never sort herself out, she’d rather find her friend.
Not knowing every little detail about these characters but getting hints from dialogue and their performance is rewarding. It allows you to make your own judgements on the unusual relationship they have.
‘There are two types of people in this world. Those who are lost and powerless and those who have found their place and their power. Which one are you?’
At one point in the film, the above quote is spoken during a very strange moment. It perfectly fits how I felt during the climax of the film. I felt powerless and lost, as I was not expecting it to go the way it did. It takes a turn into a place that I’m not sure what to make of it.
It’s a wild journey with no clear end in sight. That’s the entirety of the film.
This odd nature that it carries throughout could either drive you away or make you want to see more. She’s Missing may definitely leave some feeling confused and dazed. There are some wonderful moments in this film but they are stretched out and sprinkled in parts all over.
I’m not sure what to make of it by the end. I will say, if you are willing to give it a try then you might find something rewarding hidden in that haze. I can’t guarantee it’s for everyone but it is definitely a unique ambiguous journey explored through a female friendship.
SHE’S MISSING will be released 1st July on iTunes, Amazon, Sky Store, Virgin Media, Google Play and Youtube
Film Title SHE’S MISSING
Production Companies TW Films / Ripple World Pictures
Writer-Director Alexandra McGuinness
Producers Dominic Wright, Anna O’Malley, Eamonn Cleary
Executive Producers Jacqueline Kerrin, Graham Appleby, Adam Stanhope, Lesley McKimm
Cast Lucy Fry, Eiza Gonzalez, Josh Hartnett, Christian Camargo, SheilaVand
Director of Photography Gareth Munden
Production Designer Carol Uraneck
Editor Mairead McIvor
Composer David Harrington
Based on Original screenplay
Genre Drama / Thriller
