L'ostaggio

Carol Burnett and real-life daughter Carrie Hamilton star in this outstanding and terrific film. Carol Burnett has always been known as a terrific comedic actress (which she is) but in this film she's very dramatic and does it well. Carol Burnett stars as Martha, who is recovering from the loss of her husband. One day while shopping she's kidnapped by Bonnie Lee Hopkin (Carrie Hamilton) who's just escaped from prison. En route to New York City they forge a friendship while on the run from Bonnie's father who's trying to get even with her for shooting him in the arm. Carol Burnett is a very funny actress and it pleases me to watch her being terrific as a dramatic actress in this truly outstanding film.

There are some Hollywood clichés in this (does any villain's usefulness to the plot ever outlive the villain?), but a lot of it feels pretty fresh, too. Carrie Hamilton really shines in a role where I never knew what she would do next and all her actions seemed, if not entirely likely, at least plausible. (Sad to see that she died before age 40!) Carol Burnett, her real-life mother, was also very good, and very dynamic as well, as her titular hostage. Rounding out the trio of leads, the menacing dad was perhaps a bit over-the-top, but only a bit. He had his role to play and played it well.

Some of the settings and elements are dated, but that's OK. Every movie eventually shows its age. A good story, though, doesn't suffer (much, anyway) from outliving its contextual setting. It doesn't matter that this story takes place a few decades ago, now; the themes of familial love, abandonment, heartache, quiet desperation, helplessness, abuse, redemption, etc. are timeless and transcend smoothly.

"Hostage" works well over all and overcomes its minor flaws to deliver an engrossing story told by talented actors.