THE MISSING PERSON Review

THE MISSING PERSON is a great, refreshing, original noir. It’s a shame not many people will get to see this mystery drama because it only gets limited release. But if you’re looking to watch a well-made, well-directed, artful independent film with an impressive story that makes you think, look no further than THE MISSING PERSON…

Writer/Director Noah Buschel’s third feature, “The Missing Person,” stars Michael Shannon as John Rosow, a private detective hired to tail a man, Harold Fullmer, on a train from Chicago to Los Angeles. Rosow gradually uncovers Harold’s identity as a missing person; one of the thousands presumed dead after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. Persuaded by a large reward, Rosow is charged with bringing Harold back to his wife in New York City against his will. Ultimately Rosow must confront whether the decision to return Harold to a life that no longer exists is the right one.

Noah Buschel gives us characters that have been affected by 9/11. The tragedy is their connection. It’s set in today’s New York and L.A and yet the lack of lighting and the mood thanks to the great jazz selection makes you feel like you’re watching a post-WWII noir classic. I like how Buschel plays with elements that have been related to other noir films in the past like placing P.I. John Rosow in a dark apartment next to a railroad, indicating a man who’s been beat by the loss of his wife, he once had a purpose but now he’s just doing this gig for the paychecks and could really care less about the implications. Rosow himself is also a soft spoken individual but quite quick when it comes to sarcasm and humor that undermine the person he’s talking to. But the not knowing gets the better of him, turning him from a man who just does what he’s paid for into a man wanting to get further involved.

It’s not a fast-paced movie, there’s lots of moments when all you see is a shot of the character’s face either smoking or confessing his story of his whereabouts for the last few years. Even when Rosow seems to uncover something fishy and you think things might escalate into an intimidating scene, everything is settled calmly but resolved nonetheless.
THE MISSING PERSON can only be appreciated by those of us who are familiar with this style of storytelling, those of us who’ve seen enough movies in a lifetime to notice a great quality when we see one.

Michael Shannon is excellent as Rosow, a man at first motivated by money but then finds another motivation along the way because he can relate to what he’s really been hired to do but when he’s heard Harold’s side, Rosow faces a dilemma of deciding the right thing to do. Some lives are better off now with the loss than before. Harold, played by the talented Frank Wood, pleads and persuades Rosow, tries to explain that reuniting him with his wife may be a good idea on paper but not in a long term. Harold has found his purpose, his wife lives well because of his non-existence, Rosow feels it’s unfair that he doesn’t get to be reunited with his wife and here’s Harold throwing his chances away, so one man tries to tell the other that the separation is for the best, and the other man doesn’t understand why being with his wife is not for the best.

I like Buschel’s way of getting Rosow to change his mind by having him stare at a painting, somehow Rosow finally can look past his own perception and put himself in Harold’s shoes, either that or Rosow finally sees the good that can come out of this tragedy that binds them all.
The only unfortunate part is that the movie doesn’t put a great actress like Amy Ryan to much use. And I think the film can do without the flirtation between Shannon and Ryan’s characters and trying to get them to end up as lovebirds. It could simply end with Harold walking away.

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