Where Is Kyra?

An interesting follow-up to Ms Pfeiffer's earlier exercise in realism 'Frankie and Johnnie' (1991) depicting a divorcee already traumatised by the death of her elderly mother, coping with bureaucracy, the threat of eviction and beset by constant demands for money forced into a truly extraordinary subterfuge that I won't reveal here.

At first reminiscent of Wim Wenders at his most morose, with a metallic score by Philip Miller and set against a backdrop of New York that makes Edward Hopper look like Norman Rockwell it slides into a stark psychodrama involving the most sinister little old lady since Norman Bates' mother.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Kiefer Sutherland are superb here, but this film is definitely not for everyone. The filmmakers make it a most difficult watch with many darkened scenes often shot from afar, very slow pacing, extremely irritating music at times, and a constant depressive tone.

However, if one can stay with this haunting drama the performances by the two leads are worth the price of admission, as I see it. At least it had an appropriate ending and not a totally convoluted one that are so in vogue these days.

Where is Kyra? the title asks. Ostensibly she lives in Brooklyn, but her real location, for the purposes of this low-lit, depressing mise en scene, is the interior darkness of a middle-aged, jobless, depressed woman (Michelle Pfeiffer). Aided by Oscar-nominated Bradford Young's shadowy cinematography, director Andrew Dosunmu crafts a near perfect outward evocation of the spiritual loneliness of a woman who has recently lost her mother.

As her life spirals downward spiritually and financially, Kyra finds some solace in the arms of neighbor Doug (Kiefer Sutherland), a part-time job slacker, who tries as much as he can to comfort her even though he is marginalized by the film's lighting and proxemics. Kyra is desperately alone in a city that forgets about the aging, like the recurring motif of the elderly lady with the cane.

A light larceny is forcing itself on Kyra, and who can blame her? Her credit cards have maxed out, and the job interviews have led nowhere. Although this is not a real thriller, enough of the noirish urban danger bleeds through to confirm the despair so many down and outers must feel in that unforgiving world on NYC and its burbs.

Pfeiffer should be recognized for her remarkably restrained and deeply-felt role. Unfortunately, writer Darci Picoult has little dialogue for her, and the lighting is the most powerful vehicle for the despair of urban loneliness and poverty, poverty porn if you will.

Where is Kyra? has a European feel in its languor and an American vibe in its class inequality. It's solid fare for cinephiles and those who need an antidote for their optimism.

Not bad as it is an interesting story and I am surprised nobody came up with it before yet because it is simple and effective. Sure the film had some slow moments and was a bit stretched at times but wonderfully lived from the performance by Michelle Pfeiffer who really turns into one of her best showcases in years. A great gig for her and the prove that this actress deserves way more leading roles than she got in the past years. It is a nuanced performance that works on many different layers and all of them are absolutely believable. Its not an easy character to identify with, in fact you often do not know whether to like her to hate her, whether to feel pity of her or despise her. Pfeiffer perfectly walks on that boarder. Kiefer Sutherland wonderfully supports her. I am surprised he did not get more word or attention for this. Also a really great performance. I was not a big fan of the dark and bleak atmosphere but I guess it fitted the mood. Its a strong character movie that shows how far people would get to escape their misery. Its dark, sad and not always satisfying but it in some ways is honest. I think it did deserve a better screenplay around that story but other than that I appreciate it as a powerful award vehicle for Ms. Pfeiffer.

Pfeiffer's lost her mom, and her light in this movie. She's desperate for money and dresses as her mom to get $ and stay afloat. Not sure where the "hard hitting" drama comments come from - it's a flat plot.