Where Is Kyra?

The plot is good, the actors are great, but the movie is so dark that you can't see what is happening...What a waste of talents to have a great cast and don't be able to see theirs emotions because the director decided to shoot it without light! The Pfeiffer's role is very interesting and I believe she could have been nominated for the Oscar if there were just more light on scenes. She have done in this movie much more than Glen Close and Olivia Colman this year and would deserve the Oscar.

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.

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.

Dark, muted colors. I can sympathize with her plight of the situation.

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.