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Missing

Play trailer Poster for Missing PG,  1982,  2h 2m,  Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 94% 33 Reviews Tomatometer 85% 5,000+ Ratings Popcornmeter
94% Tomatometer 33 Reviews 85% Popcornmeter 5,000+ Ratings
In 1973, U.S. businessman Ed Horman (Jack Lemmon) arrives in Chile to look for his son, Charles (John Shea), a politically left-leaning journalist who disappeared during a military coup. Charles' wife, Beth (Sissy Spacek), has been looking for some time, but her requests for help from the U.S. consulate have thus far produced few results. As Ed and Beth try to figure out what really happened to Charles, Ed realizes that the American officials may know more than they're telling.
Missing

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Thanks in large part to strong performances by Sissy Spacek and Jack Lemmon, Missing is both a gripping character exploration and an effective political thriller.

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Critics Reviews

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Richard Corliss TIME Magazine Mar 29, 2009
A story that could have made for a brisk jeremiad on 60 Minutes is stretched to 122 minutes of heroes fuming and villains purring their oleaginous apologies. Spacek and Lemmon, an appealing sweet-and-sour combo, sink in the swamp of good intentions. Go to Full Review
Variety Staff Variety Mar 26, 2009
Lemmon is superior as a man facing up to issues he never wanted to confront personally. Go to Full Review
Derek Adams Time Out Jun 24, 2006
Spacek and Lemmon are fine as the missing man's wife and father, but what makes the film so overwhelming in places is its unending night-time imagery of a society coming apart at the seams. Go to Full Review
Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Sep 2, 2024
3.5/4
A riveting political piece. Go to Full Review
Zita Short InSession Film Feb 7, 2023
Costa-Gavras made far more radical political thrillers than this but I think this was one of his sharpest efforts as it is able to package its political message within an engaging human story. Go to Full Review
Chase Burns The Stranger (Seattle, WA) Jan 20, 2022
Missing remains one of director Costa-Gavras's best works. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Kylo W Mar 2, 2019 Missing (Costa-Gravas, 1982) ���� 8.1/10 Pessoalmente acredito que a habilidade em conceber uma história dramática reside na propriedade de criar um vínculo de cumplicidade entre os personagens identificados como vítimas de algum evento e o público, que como observador impotente das situações, se projeta nas ações dos primeiros, abarcando seus anseios e medos. Em Missing, alà (C)m de um trabalho impressionante de atuação dos selecionados para os papà (C)is (Lemmon e Spacek geniais) há uma ambientação que confere ao expectador o sentimento de ameaça permanente quase comparável aos mais eficientes filmes de terror. Desse modo, a perspectiva se torna tripartite - mas interconectada - e explora de modo intenso a atmosfera fortemente opressiva (com cunhos realísticos e fortemente tensa), a transformação de um dos protagonistas (cuja visão, de certo modo otimista, à (C) cuidadosamente arruinada diante dos fatos aos quais presencia) e um poderoso conflito entre a resistência entre abandonar um objetivo relativo ao amor incondicional por alguà (C)m e uma conspiração de elementos que, quase na totalidade, operam como uma força coordenada visando sua destruição. Costa-Gravas discute política e institui o drama da história em condições universais (talvez por isso opte por não identificar claramente o país ou seus líderes, apesar da conexão com a realidade ser bem óbvia), promovendo um debate inevitável quanto ao rumo e escolhas que tomamos e do quão nos à (C) vendida a ilusão de que à (C) melhor fechar os olhos que ter o trabalho de reagir aos absurdos do mundo. See more
Feb 2, 2019 The best movie ever made!
Rey P Mar 6, 2018 CERTAINLY CAPTURES the uncertainty of anarchy and what it is like to live during a coup. It also brings up important questions about our government's involvement in foreign governments and their SOVEREIGNTY. A bit long, but overall still good. See more
Kylo R Oct 22, 2017 Costa-Gavras' political rage is palpable here, but it's Lemmon and Spacek who sell the film's message.
Han W May 24, 2017 Based on the true story of an American father and wife in Chile searching fruitlessly for their missing loved one during a coup while getting the run-around from US officials only to learn he has been executed. Made me thankful I live in Canada. See more
Theodore P Apr 16, 2017 Films by foreign language directors in the English language often mend their style and hence they are critically panned. Unlike others, Missing is classic Gavras. An excellent thriller that doesn't opt for crowd-pleasing elements and instead the ideal, quite downbeat, political suspense-machine we've come to expect from the director of Z and State of Siege. See more
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Missing

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 1973, U.S. businessman Ed Horman (Jack Lemmon) arrives in Chile to look for his son, Charles (John Shea), a politically left-leaning journalist who disappeared during a military coup. Charles' wife, Beth (Sissy Spacek), has been looking for some time, but her requests for help from the U.S. consulate have thus far produced few results. As Ed and Beth try to figure out what really happened to Charles, Ed realizes that the American officials may know more than they're telling.
Director
Costa-Gavras
Producer
Edward Lewis, Mildred Lewis
Screenwriter
Donald Stewart
Distributor
Universal Pictures
Production Co
Universal Pictures, PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Rating
PG
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 12, 1982, Original
Release Date (Streaming)
Oct 8, 2020
Runtime
2h 2m
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