DISAPPEARANCE AT CLIFTON HILL
Directed by: Albert Shin
Starring: Tuppence Middleton, Hanna Grosse, Eric Johnson, David Cronenberg
Following the death of their mother, Abby and Laure are left their family's dilapidated motel in the will. Laure wants to sell the land it sits on but Abby isn't so sure. When she rifles through some old photographs, it triggers a memory in Abby or witnessing the kidnapping of a young boy wearing an eyepatch. She becomes obsessed with the memory and determined to find out the truth of what happened, but Abby may not be the most reliable narrator…
Disappearance at Clifton Hill is an entertaining mystery drama which eschews the conventional thriller elements.
The film starts off in an ominously good way with 8 year old Abby finding a young boy hiding in the undergrowth near where her family are fishing. When he tries to run away, mysterious figures capture him and throw him into the trunk of their car. It's a great sequence and the young Abby (Mikayla Radan) does a good job of projecting a mix of fear and confusion over what she saw.
We then jump forward to the present to find a grown-up Abby and her sister Laure discussing the sale of their deceased mother's motel, and the offer they've received from local mogul Charlie Lake. It is clear that there is a lot of animosity between the sisters although it takes a while to discover why that is.
The film is set in the town of Niagara, home of the infamous waterfalls, which feels very much like an English seaside town in the winter season, with its cheap and tacky attractions to keep the tourists busy during the summer. When pressed by Abby about his plans for the hotel land, Charlie Lake confesses he's thinking about a day-glo paintball arena. The rundown Rainbow motel certainly fits in well.
The film delivers a number of interesting characters for Abby to interact with. Officer Singh has newly joined the police force in Niagara and has his own reasons for dismissing Abby's story. Charlie Lake, for all that is rumoured about his past, seems to be a really likeable person and at odds with his and his family's reputation. Then there is Walter a local conspiracy theorist who runs a local podcast and fills Abby's head with some of his theories - some of which turn out to be true…
On top of this we have the couple at the heart of the mystery, the Moulins, a magic act who were quite famous in the area during the 90's until their son was reported to have committed suicide. Abby believes that their son is the boy she saw being abducted and the film is chiefly concerned with her investigation and her attempts to convince people she's telling the truth. This proves difficult due to a particular revelation late on in the film, showing that our protagonist might not be the most reliable of witnesses.
The film is technically very well made with good locations and is well acted throughout. Tuppence Middleton manages to keep Abby a sympathetic character despite her flaws and there is an earnestness to her investigation, trying to validate herself as much as solve the mystery.
What is surprising is how low key this "thriller" is. There are no car chases, shoot-outs, Abby's life is never in any real danger (other than a very tense meeting with the Moulins in a diner). The most the film can deliver is a certain amount of validation, but even that is put into doubt with the films enigmatic final scene.
THE VERDICT
Set in a tourist town during its off-season, Disappearance at Clifton Hill provides a murder mystery in which we cannot fully trust our amateur sleuth, given her personal history. As the events took place over 15 years ago, the stakes are pretty low, however the film is well acted and produced. The story defies genre conventions and may frustrate some viewers but many will enjoy the deliberate pacing and colourful characters on display.
7 out of 10 (MikeOutWest)
DISAPPEARANCE AT CLIFTON HILL IS AVAILABLE TO RENT OR BUY FRO 20TH JULY 2020