When Mom Goes MISSING

 

Jeri Jacquin

Coming to Bluray from directors Will Merrick, Nick Johnson and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment is the story of a mother who goes MISSING.

June (Storm Reid) lives with her mother Grace (Nia Long) after her father passes when she is very young. Into technology and friends, June is thrilled when Grace decides to go on a vacation with new boyfriend Kevin (Ken Leung) to Cartagena, Columbia. As Grace gives her final instructions that friend Heather (Amy Landecker) is in charge and June pretending to listen, the first thing the teen does is set up party time.

One week later, June is supposed to be picking Grace up from the airport but as passengers leave the plane, June’s mother is not in sight. Using her savvy of the computer, June starts looking for where her mom could be. Running out of ideas, she turns to a Columbia P.I. Javi (Joaquim de Almeida) to do some of the leg work for her.

June also manages to get into personal information about Kevin and learns about his past and how it effects what is happening now. Not able to find anything, she needs Javier to find out where they were seen last. June also finds a man named Jimmy (Tim Griffin) who says that Kevin is a good guy and really cares for Grace.

Elijah Park (Daniel Henney), an FBI agent, also stays in touch with June giving her information as he gets it. That doesn’t stop June from following her own leads and investigating through the internet. With all her investigating, June discovers the horrible truth about her mother and it leads to a situation that could end her own life.

Reid as June Allen is a young girl who believes that because she is 18 that she does not have to follow rules and feels her mother is just a kill joy. Once she realizes that life is much more complicated and dangerous, she dives into a world of secrets and lies. Reid is the main focus of the film and does her utmost to portray a young woman who does not rely on others to find her mother.

De Almeida as Javier gives us a part time private investigator who knows his way around Cartagena. Getting the information just leads to more questions and a very long distance relationship with June. His soft spot for the young girl is showing and he chases leads with a vengeance. I have always enjoyed the roles that De Almeida has taken and this film joins the list of performances.

Landecker as Heather is the ‘adult’ while Grace is away but when it is clear she is missing, she helps June get the ball rolling on finding her. Leung as Kevin is the man dating June’s Mom. He has a past and June has to discover whether it has anything to do with what is happening now.

Long as Grace has a small role in the beginning setting up her life with June/Reid. She is a mom who is dealing with a daughter that is starting to show her independence (even if she really isn’t ready for it). Wanting to be a good mom and wanting a love life as well can be complicated enough without disappearing as the cherry on top.

Other cast include Ava Zaria Lee as young June, Michael Segovia as Angel, Megan Suri as Veena, Tracy Vilar as Det. Gomez, Lisa Yamada as Alison, Jameel Shivji as Karthik, and Lauren B. Mosely as Rachel Page.

The film follows the 2018 film SEARCHING and also reminds me of the 2018 film PROFILE. These are also two interesting films dealing with people and their sleuthing ability to use the internet.

MISSING is a film about family, love, and the ability to outsmart bad guys. The character of June is definetly tech savvy because I couldn’t even keep up with how to do what she was doing. I need a class just to figure out how to install an app most of the time. Once June starts, her magic is fast and furious.

It is interesting to watch the trail of breadcrumbs she follows and, although illegal, the ways in which she gets information. That’s the world we live in however, information is key to everything and the internet is full of information. Good or bad, the search for answers is diligent by June and where it all leads her is an absolute shock.

Cuddle up with popcorn because this is about to get strange, fast and intense and jaw dropping in its conclusion.

In the end – no one disappears without a trace!