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‘1982’ Review: When War Canceled School

This film from the director Oualid Mouaness is inspired by his memories of being a child during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that year.

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By Ben Kenigsberg

“1982,” the first feature from Oualid Mouaness, is inspired by the director’s memories of having his classroom life suddenly interrupted by the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that year. The film takes place at a school in East Beirut over a single day that begins quietly enough, although the first sound we hear is of rumbling planes. A fifth-grader, Wissam (Mohamad Dalli), slips an anonymous love note into the locker of Joanna (Gia Madi), a girl he likes from West Beirut, the mainly Muslim half of the city.

As the fighting grows closer, culminating in an evacuation while Israeli and Syrian planes clash overhead, the characters show differing levels of awareness. Wissam’s best friend, Majid (Ghassan Maalouf), knows enough to warn a teacher that windows should stay open to reduce the risk of shattered glass — but is also enthused when told that school the next day will be canceled. For the children, the drama over the letter’s provenance is important. The adults, particularly two teachers (Nadine Labaki and Rodrigue Sleiman) whose romance has been strained by political arguments, engage in their own forms of denial. They’re skeptical that violence will reach East Beirut or that it’s time for students to stop their exams and leave.

Working with a shrewdly limited setting, Mouaness skillfully gives the film a near-real-time feel, conveying a sense that the war is approaching through small-scale details like radio broadcasts, Wissam’s observation that pigeons have flown unusually close to the school and the volume and frequency of aerial noise. The filmmaker also mostly dodges the potential preciousness that comes with telling a story from a child’s perspective, even if a handful of animated sequences are a bit too cute.

1982 Not rated. In Arabic and English, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes. In theaters.

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Movie Review: 1982 (2019)

• Howard Schumann
• Movie Reviews
• No responses
• --> January 19, 2021

On June 6, 1982, exactly 38 years after D-Day, roughly 60,000 Israeli troops and more than 800 tanks, heavily supported by aircraft, attack helicopters, artillery, and missile boats invaded Southern Lebanon, a country already involved in a decades-long civil war. Israel’s publicly-stated objective was to push PLO (Palestine Liberation Organization) forces back 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the north and establish an expanded security zone that would put northern Israel out of range of the continuing onslaught of PLO rockets.

In his first feature film, 1982 , winner of the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) award at the Toronto Film Festival, Lebanese director Oualid Mouaness looks at the Israeli-Lebanese War through the eyes of pre-adolescent children in Cedar High School, a private elementary school near Beirut. Based on his own experience as a ten-year old student on the last day of school in Lebanon in 1982, Mouaness’ film explores the children’s attempt to make sense of an incomprehensible situation, one that they can sense is fraught with danger for themselves and their families.

The camera, under the direction of cinematographer Brian Rigby Hubbard (“Ambition”), opens the film with shots of the beautiful and peaceful surrounding countryside but the landscape is soon punctured by the sound of telephone lines being blown up, tanks driving on the nearby streets, warships dotting the sea, and dueling fighter jets, like an out-of-sync video game, closing any space between the silences. On the last school day of the year, 11-year-old Wissam’s (Mohamad Dalli) focus is not on what is going on outside the school, however, but on summoning enough courage to tell a girl in his class, Joana (Gia Madi), that he loves her.

Part of his reluctance is that his parents have told him that he should wait until he is older before expressing his love to someone. Watching Joana after final exams, however, he follows her trying to get up enough courage to tell her what he rehearses in front of the bathroom mirror “Joana, I love you. Joana, I love you.” Though his best friend Majid (Ghassan Maalouf) tells him that we are not in America and this is not a movie, he insists on leaving her a note in her locker with a picture he drew of a superhero named Tigron who resembles a Japanese Super Robot from the anime television series “UFO Robot Grendizer.”

As the children look out the window to find the source of the increasing noise, Mouaness juxtaposes an adult relationship that is more complex but also filled with fear and avoidance. As plans are underway for the student’s graduation, Yasmine (Nadine Labaki, “ Capernaum ”), homeroom teacher and exam administrator, is in a relationship with fellow teacher Joseph (Rodrigue Sleiman, “Good Morning”). Straining to avoid discussing their political differences over the war in order to create a safe environment for the children, Yasmine struggles to have her students focus on their exams, telling them “it is nothing. It is far away,” and that what happens outside does not concern them.

As the children wait for their parents to pick them up and the tension increases, Wissam resorts to fantasies about how the robot Tigron can save them from harm. “What’s going on?” Joana asks, looking away. “I don’t know,” Wissam replies. While his full understanding of events taking place is spotty, he reaches out to protect Joana in a way that signals the beginning of his maturity. Making sure that she gets on the bus seated next to him, he seems to recognize perhaps for the first time that the truth of one’s relationship to another human being is not only the physical attraction but the commitment to love and protect.

In this lovely film which was eight years in the making, Mouannes explores, “the idea that children have a world that’s complete for them. They sort of understand what’s going on in the adult world but they have peace with how complete their own world is in and of itself.” He shows, in the phrase of Israeli author Aharon Applefeld (“To the Edge of Sorrow”) that in “the darkest places of human behavior generosity and love can survive; that humanity and love can overcome cruelty and brutality.” “I see the world,” he says, “in a very positive light and try to hold the darkness.” That is his gift to us in 1982 .

Tagged: Lebanon , love , relationships , student , teacher , war

I am a retired father of two living with my wife in Vancouver, B.C. who has had a lifelong interest in the arts.

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10 Major Superman Villains Not in the Movies

The 10 most underrated '80s anime movies, ranked, the 30 best 'game of thrones' characters, ranked.

If you were a science-fiction fan in 1982, you were having a great time. While they were underappreciated at release, John Carpenter's The Thing and Blade Runner were released in 1982 and became two of the best science-fiction movies of all time . Families were also treated to the sci-fi craze, with E.T. becoming a childhood classic, while Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan saw the highly popular television series back on the big screen.

Sci-fi fans were not the only ones looked after in 1982, as the year saw Friday the 13th and Halloween release their third entries. Sylvester Stallone had a big year as he starred in both Rocky III and First Blood , while Arnold Schwarzenegger debuted as Conan the Barbarian . Whether you like science-fiction, comedy, horror, or action, 1982 has you covered.

10 'Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan'

Bringing back the crew of the original Star Trek television series, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is a sequel to the first season episode, "Space Seed." When the evil Khan ( Ricardo Montalban ) returns to steal a powerful device, his rival James Kirk ( William Shatner ) and his loyal crew race to stop him.

The Wrath of Khan is often hailed as the best of the Star Trek movies and is a perfect companion film to the original series. Montalban is terrific as Khan and creates the best villain the franchise has ever had. The movie's success would reignite interest in the Star Trek brand, causing it to remain popular still to this day.

Watch on HBO Max

9 'Fast Times at Ridgemont High'

A comedy focused on the daily lives of American teenagers, Fast Times at Ridgemont High stars Jennifer Jason Leigh as Stacy, a shy high schooler interested in dating for the first time. As she navigates her friends and potential partners, several of her classmates are going through their comedic journeys.

One of the best comedies of the 1980s, Fast Times at Ridgemont High succeeds due to its relatable nature. While the side story featuring stoner Jeff Spicoli ( Sean Penn ) does go over the top in search of laughs, the rest of the characters feel like people we knew in high school or who we may even resemble ourselves.

Watch on Prime Video

8 'Poltergeist'

When the Freeling family moves into their dream home, they think they have hit the jackpot. Soon enough, their dream becomes a nightmare as supernatural forces begin targeting them, and the family unit must come together to save the soul of their youngest daughter, Carol ( Heather O'Rourke ).

One of the most iconic horror movies of the 1980s, Poltergeist holds a place among the best-haunted house movies ever. Directed by The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 's Tobe Hooper , Poltergeist showcases his talent for crafting unforgettable horror tales, albeit with a more "family-friendly" tone than Leatherface's hijinks.

7 'Sophie's Choice'

When Stingo ( Peter MacNicol ), a young writer living in Brooklyn in 1947, befriends his new neighbors Sophie ( Meryl Streep ) and Nathan ( Kevin Kline ), he soon becomes entangled in their lives. As Stingo grows closer to Sophie, a Polish immigrant, he learns about her traumatic past as a prisoner at Auschwitz.

Sophie's Choice is a heartbreaking drama anchored by Streep, who delivers one of the best performances of her career . She would win her second Oscar for the role, and the titular impossible decision that lies at the heart of the film has become a term used for when one has to choose between two equally difficult options.

Watch on Peacock

6 'First Blood'

Returning home after serving in the Vietnam War, John Rambo (Sylvester Stallone) is a drifter looking for peace. Instead, he is attacked by a cohort of corrupt police officers and retreats into the nearby woods. As the cops hunt him down, Rambo calls on his time spent in warfare to turn the tables on his pursuers.

While the series would eventually become a hyper-violent shooting gallery as Rambo mows down countless goons, First Blood is a reserved character study. Stallone offers one of his finest performances as the quiet veteran who just wants to be left alone and plays a big part in why the character remains one of the most iconic in the action genre.

5 'The King of Comedy'

Rupert Pupkin ( Robert De Niro ) hosts his own talk show. The only problem is that no one is watching, and it's in his mother's basement. But when Rupert meets his idol, beloved talk show host Jerry Langford ( Jerry Lewis ), he believes his big break has come. Rupert will do whatever it takes to get on Jerry's show, even resorting to kidnapping his idol.

Directed by Martin Scorsese , The King of Comedy stands as a unique entry in his filmography. Far removed from the mobster movies that he is famous for, the film is almost like an alternate version of Taxi Driver , as Rupert resembles Travis Bickle in that he is a delusional man who believes he is doing something good, in this case bringing joy to the world even though no one is laughing.

Watch on Plex

4 'Gandhi'

Mahatma Gandhi is one of the most famous figures in history, and Gandhi charts his journey from young lawyer to leader. Living in an India that has been taken over by the British, Gandhi ( Ben Kingsley ) is fed up with the unfair, racist treatment of his people and organizes peaceful protests that will change the fate of the country.

One of the best movies of all time, Kingsley offers the performance of a lifetime as Gandhi, his perfect portrayal earning him an Oscar. The film itself also swept the Academy Awards that year, winning eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director for Richard Attenborough .

3 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'

When young Elliott ( Henry Thomas ) discovers an alien stranded on Earth, he helps his new friend back to his house, where they quickly bond. But when government agents threaten to take E.T. away for testing, the pair go on the run to help the extra-terrestrial get back home.

One of the most famous family movies of all time, E.T. has entertained children and families since its release. While Steven Spielberg is best known for his blockbusters Jurassic Park and Indiana Jones , E.T. remains one of Spielberg's best movies as it successfully captures the wonder and wild imagination of childhood.

2 'Blade Runner'

Set in a futuristic version of Los Angeles, Blade Runner stars Harrison Ford as Rick Deckard, a "blade runner" whose job it is to hunt down humanoid androids and terminate them. When he is assigned the task of chasing four newly escaped replicants, Deckard finds himself questioning his own identity.

Despite being dismissed by mainstream audiences at release, Blade Runner has become one of the most influential science-fiction movies of all time. The mark of its atmosphere and set design can be felt in everything from fellow movies to video games and anime, with the cyberpunk genre being heavily influenced by Blade Runner .

1 'John Carpenter's The Thing'

When a remote research base in Antarctica becomes the hunting ground for a shape-shifting alien, the crew of scientists and caretakers descend into paranoia. With the creature able to take on the form of anyone it devours, the dwindling group soon cannot even trust the person next to them.

Directed by John Carpenter , The Thing is right up there with Halloween as one of his best movies . Its cold, harsh environment effortlessly creates a sense of dread that threatens to consume the characters long before the monster does, and combined with a great cast and wonderful practical effects that still hold up, makes for one of the best horror movies of all time and the best movie of 1982.

KEEP READING: 13 Best Cult Classics of the 1980s, From 'Evil Dead' to 'The Thing'

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Annie (1982), common sense media reviewers.

Classic orphan tale has great songs, some iffy content.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

The film is intended to entertain, rather than edu

Families can be based on more than blood relations

Annie displays grit, determination, and optimism a

The only non-White characters are Daddy Warbucks'

Peril: Annie hangs from a bridge after being kidna

Kissing and insinuations between Lily and Rooster.

"Goddamn." Children are referred to as "pig droppi

Miss Hannigan often appears drunk, slurring her sp

Parents need to know that Annie is the beloved 1982 adaptation of the popular radio show, comic strip, and Broadway musical. Overall, it's a charming and entertaining family movie that's full of memorable songs. Annie (Aileen Quinn) and her friends demonstrate courage, gratitude, and perseverance in tough…

Educational Value

The film is intended to entertain, rather than educate, but kids may learn a little about the Depression and New York City in the 1930s.

Positive Messages

Families can be based on more than blood relationships. Loyalty and friendship are strong themes, as are courage, gratitude, and perseverance. Promotes the "rags to riches through determination" idea of the American dream, which is idealized and not achievable for all.

Positive Role Models

Annie displays grit, determination, and optimism as she tries to make the best of her situation. Sometimes she tries to solve problems by fighting but does better when she shows kindness to others. Her friends are loyal to her, and Daddy Warbucks and Grace grow to love her and want to help her. Grace demonstrates a strong moral code by insisting Annie stay with them. On the downside, Miss Hannigan is irresponsible and conniving, and Rooster and Lily tell lies, steal, and try to cheat Daddy Warbucks. They care more about money than Annie's safety or happiness.

Diverse Representations

The only non-White characters are Daddy Warbucks' bodyguards, "Punjab," played by Black Trinidadian American Geoffrey Holder, and "The Asp," who is East Asian (Hawaiian actor Roger Minami). Grace treats them with respect and they're good at their jobs, but both are portrayed in racist ways: They're servants, generic "Eastern-sounding" music plays around them, and they're insensitively named ("Punjab" is a region in India, and "asp" is a generic term for a poisonous snake). Punjab plays into cliché of "magical" Eastern cultures by having mind control, healing, and levitation powers. On the plus side, the film tackles wealth inequality by contrasting Annie's poor living conditions with Daddy Warbucks' "billionaire" lifestyle. Adoption and non-parent caretakers are represented as good ways to form strong, loving families. Women have stereotypical jobs like secretary and maid, but girls and women are important heroes and villains in the story. President Roosevelt uses a wheelchair, and some domestic workers have different body sizes, although most characters are thin. Film minimizes and makes light of the seriousness of alcohol addiction.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Peril: Annie hangs from a bridge after being kidnapped and chased by a man who's trying to hurt her. Someone throws a lit bomb into Daddy Warbucks' office. Miss Hannigan often shoves the children around and is generally cruel to them by denying them food and sleep and threatening them. Children get in a few fistfights and sing about forcing Miss Hannigan to drink a drugged beverage. Annie stops a group of boys from harming a dog that Miss Hannigan later threatens to send to the "sausage factory."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Kissing and insinuations between Lily and Rooster. Flirting from Miss Hannigan, including the phrases "make hay" and a "tumble with the bundle."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Goddamn." Children are referred to as "pig droppings" and "brats."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Miss Hannigan often appears drunk, slurring her speech and clutching bottles of alcohol. Adult characters smoke cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Annie is the beloved 1982 adaptation of the popular radio show, comic strip, and Broadway musical. Overall, it's a charming and entertaining family movie that's full of memorable songs. Annie ( Aileen Quinn ) and her friends demonstrate courage, gratitude, and perseverance in tough situations. But Miss Hannigan ( Carol Burnett ), who runs the ramshackle orphanage where intrepid, determined Annie lives, is often drunk, slurring her speech and clutching bottles of liquor in a way that's intended to be funny. She's also cruel to the children in her care. There's kissing, flirting, and occasional references to sex ("make hay," "tumble with the bundle"). Things never get too scary, but someone throws a lit bomb into an office, and some tense scenes show Annie hanging from a bridge after being kidnapped and chased. Women have stereotypical jobs like secretary and maid but are important in the story. The movie also includes racist stereotyping in the form of bodyguards Punjab ( Geoffrey Holder ) and The Asp (Roger Minami) and promotes the "rags to riches" idea of the American dream, which is idealized and not achievable by all. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Based on 53 parent reviews

Sexualization in front of children

Your missing the point, what's the story.

In this film version of the Broadway musical -- itself based on the classic comics -- about Depression-era orphan ANNIE ( Aileen Quinn ), the optimistic, determined red-headed child perseveres in spite of indignities and cruel treatment at the hands of neglectful orphanage director Miss Hannigan ( Carol Burnett ). Ever hopeful Annie dreams of the day that her parents will arrive to retrieve her, often singing songs and dancing to the delight of the other orphans. Hoping to boost his public image, billionaire Oliver "Daddy" Warbucks ( Albert Finney ) takes Annie in for a week at his swanky Manhattan mansion. Annie's kindness and gratitude win over her new caretakers, but Miss Hannigan and her cronies Lily ( Bernadette Peters ) and Rooster ( Tim Curry ) see an opportunity to increase their cash flow by claiming they're Annie's "true" family.

Is It Any Good?

This beloved adaptation of the Broadway musical is sometimes uneven, but its charms take over by the end. The songs in Annie are a mixed bag -- "Dumb Dog" is just not all that good, but you'll have "It's the Hard-Knock Life" stuck in your head for days, and by the time Annie sings "Tomorrow" to President Roosevelt, you'll be singing it along with her.

Some of the performances are outstanding, particularly Burnett as Miss Hannigan. In the title role of Annie, Quinn is a fine singer, if not all that dynamic otherwise. The orphan girls are fun, and Finney is wonderfully brusque but really an old softy as Daddy Warbucks. One definite issue is the racist portrayal of Warbucks' bodyguards, Punjab and The Asp. Be sure to talk to kids about why this kind of representation is problematic.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about musicals like Annie . Why do you think musicals have been popular, both on Broadway and in film?

Talk about how characters of color are portrayed in Annie . What kinds of stereotypes do you recognize? How does that affect your enjoyment of the movie? Has society changed since this movie was made?

How do the characters in Annie demonstrate courage , gratitude , and perseverance ? Why are those important character strengths ?

What message do you think the filmmakers want viewers to take away from watching? Do you think Annie's rags-to-riches journey is one that people can actually achieve in real life? Why, or why not?

Movie Details

• In theaters : June 9, 1982
• On DVD or streaming : August 1, 2004
• Cast : Aileen Quinn , Albert Finney , Carol Burnett
• Director : John Huston
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Columbia Tristar
• Genre : Family and Kids
• Topics : Adventures , Great Girl Role Models , Music and Sing-Along
• Character Strengths : Courage , Gratitude , Perseverance
• Run time : 127 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG
• MPAA explanation : peril
• Last updated : June 16, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

Our editors recommend.

Annie (1999)

Musicals for kids, best father-daughter movies, related topics.

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Night Shift (1982)

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Reviews from Broadway and Beyond

Cats—The Jellicle Ball: ALW in the House

By Melissa Rose Bernardo

★★★★☆ The category is…reinvention. The 1982 Andrew Lloyd Webber–T.S. Eliot musical is moving to a fresh new beat.

The hottest club in New York City right now is downtown Manhattan’s Perelman Performing Arts Center, home to a must-see musical revival you never knew you needed of the show you swore you’d never see again—especially after Tom Hooper’s legendary misfire of a movie: Cats .

Directed by Zhailon Levingston (Broadway’s Chicken and Biscuits ) and Bill Rauch (former longtime artistic director of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, now the Perelman’s AD), this high-energy, high-glam reimagining of the much-maligned Andrew Lloyd Webber–composed musical bears the title Cats: The Jellicle Ball. Emphasis on ball, as in the Ballroom culture portrayed in the 2018–2021 Ryan Murphy–created, Billy Porter–starring FX series Pose and the 1990 documentary Paris Is Burning . So instead of prowling around a garbage dump like they did in the Trevor Nunn–directed original, these cats are dancing down a massive runway, courtesy of choreographers Arturo Lyons and Omari Wiles (both veterans of the HBO Max voguing competition Legendary ).

One more very important change from the Cats you know and (possibly) love: “In the context of our production,” the directors explain in a program note, “‘cat’ is slang for any queer person or ally who is part of the Ballroom scene.” In other words, there are no drawn-on whiskers or greasepaint noses, no flesh-toned leotards or tabby-striped legwarmers; instead, Qween Jean costumes the gorgeous cast of Ballroom and theater veterans in contemporary club wear: Think cut-out dresses, slinky corsets, satin booty shorts, belly-baring corsets, and body-hugging jeans. She’s created an appropriately diva-ish ensemble—a leopard-print kimono and matching headwrap, hot pink boa, stacks of pearl bracelets, and lengthy gold talons—for Gus the theater cat (played by Junior “Opulence” LaBeija, Paris Is Burning ’s legendary M.C., a brilliant bit of casting), and suited Old Deuteronomy (André De Shields, lapping up the applause like milk) in head-to-toe purple as befits Jellicle and theatrical royalty. And when it comes to wigs, no one does it better than Nikiya Mathis ( Jaja’s African Hair Braiding ).

One thing that hasn’t changed from the 1982 musical, which now stands as the fifth-longest-running show in Broadway history: the “plot” (so to speak). Wise Old Deuteronomy will select one lucky cat to go “up up up past the Russell Hotel,/ Up up up to the Heaviside Layer,” to be reborn. If you’ve managed to make it this long without seeing Cats , we won’t spoil it for you…but we will tell you that she gets a fabulous new Marilyn Monroe-esque look for the curtain call.

The house-music beats and in-the-club vibe might be too much for some audience members (I spotted one person in my section plugging his ears). But this production demands reaction—the more vocal, the better. How can you not roar when Skimbleshanks the railway cat (Emma Sofia) breaks out a Noo Yawk accent, mumbling part of her lyrics in a hilarious nod to the MTA? And whatever you do, please don’t leave before the curtain call: M.C. Munkustrap (Dudney Joseph Jr.) calls out the cats one by one, and each takes one final spectacular spin down the runway. Jellicle cats come out !

Cats: The Jellicle Ball opened June 20, 2024, at the Perelman Performing Arts Center and runs through July 28. Tickets and information: pacnyc.org

About Melissa Rose Bernardo

Melissa Rose Bernardo has been covering theater for more than 20 years, reviewing for Entertainment Weekly and contributing to such outlets as Broadway.com, Playbill , and the gone (but not forgotten) InTheater and TheaterWeek magazines. She is a proud graduate of the University of Michigan. Twitter: @mrbplus . Email: [email protected] .

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Much has already been written about the bravery of “Missing”, which dares, we are told, to make a specific attack on American policies in Chile during and after the Allende regime. I wish the movie had been even brave enough to risk a clear, unequivocal, uncompromised statement of its beliefs, instead of losing itself in a cluttered mishmash of stylistic excesses. This movie might have really been powerful, if it could have gotten out of its own way. 

The story involves the disappearance in the early 1970s of a young American journalist in a country (not named) that is obviously intended to be Chile. The young man and his wife (played by John Shea and Sissy Spacek ) have gone down there to live, write, and absorb the local color. But then a civil war breaks out, martial law is declared, troops roam the streets, and one day soldiers come and take the young man away. The movie is the record of the frustrating attempts by Spacek and her father-in-law (Jack Lemmon) to discover what happened to the missing man. It suggests that the young American might have been on some sort of informal hit list of left-wing foreign journalists, that he was taken away and killed, and that (this is the controversial part) American embassy officials knew about his fate and may even have been involved in approving his death. 

If that was indeed the case, then it is a cause for great anger and dismay. And the best scenes in "Missing", the ones that make this movie worth seeing despite its shortcomings are the ones in which Spacek and Lemmon hack their way through a bureaucratic jungle in an attempt to get someone to make a simple statement of fact. Those scenes are masterful. The U.S. embassy officials are painted as dishonest weasels, shuffling papers, promising immediate action, and lying through their teeth. Lemmon and Spacek are about as good an example of Ordinary Americans as you can find in a movie, and their flat voices and stubborn determination and even their initial dislike for one another all ring exactly true. If "Missing" had started with the disappearance of the young man, and had followed Spacek and Lemmon in a straightforward narrative as they searched for him, this movie might have generated overwhelming tension and anger. But the movie never develops the power it should have had, because the director, Constantin Costa-Gavras , either lacked confidence in the strength of his story, or had too much confidence in his own stylistic virtuosity. He has achieved the unhappy feat of upstaging his own movie, losing it in a thicket of visual and editing stunts. 

Let's begin with the most annoying example of his meddling. “Missing” contains scenes that take place before the young man disappears. We see his domestic happiness with his wife and friends, we see him reading from The Little Prince and making plans for the future. The fact that this material is in the movie suggests, at least, that the story is being told by an omniscient author, one who can also tell us, if he wishes to, what happened to the victim. But he does not. Costa-Gavras shows us all sorts of ominous warnings of approaching trouble (including a lot of loose talk by American military men who are not supposed to be in the country, but are, and all but claim credit for a coup). He shows us a tragic aftermath of martial law, guns in the streets, vigilante justice, and the chilling sight of row after row of dead young men, summarily executed by the new junta. But he does not show us what happened to make the film's hero disappear. Or, rather, he shows us several versions, visual fantasies in which the young husband is arrested at home by a lot of soldiers, or a few, and is taken away in this way or that. These versions are pegged to the unreliable eyewitness accounts of the people who live across the street. They dramatize an uncertain human fate in a time of upheaval, but they also distract fatally from the flow of the film. 

By the time “Missing” begins its crucial last half-hour, a strange thing has happened. We care about this dead American, and his wife and father, almost despite the movie. The performances of Spacek and Lemmon carry us along through the movie's undisciplined stylistic displays. But at the end of the film, there isn't the instant discharge of anger we felt at the end of Costa-Gavras's great “ Z ” (1969), because the narrative juggernaut of that film has been traded in for what is basically just a fancy meditation on the nature of reality. Something happened to the missing young man (his story is based on real events). Somebody was guilty, and somebody was lying, and he was indeed killed. But “Missing” loses its way on the road to those conclusions, and at the end Lemmon and Spacek seem almost to mourn alone, while the crew is busy looking for its next shot.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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