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The Missing Person

The Missing Person

Comedy · Drama · Mystery · 2009

John Rosow drinks to forget. He is a former New York City cop turned Chicago-based private investigator. At the last minute, he is hired by someone he's never met to follow a middle-aged male subject on the soon-departing California Zephyr train to Los Angeles.

Movie details

The Missing Person

“John Rosow is a private investigator. And an alcoholic. He just got the case of his life.”

2009 Comedy · Drama · Mystery 1h 35m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

5.9 / 10

Community rating

John Rosow drinks to forget. He is a former New York City cop turned Chicago-based private investigator. At the last minute, he is hired by someone he's never met to follow a middle-aged male subject on the soon-departing California Zephyr train to Los Angeles.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Missing Person?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

Noah Buschel

Written by

Noah Buschel

Michael Shannon

Michael Shannon

John Rosow

Amy Ryan

Amy Ryan

Miss Charley

Frank Wood

Frank Wood

Harold Fullmer

Linda Emond

Linda Emond

Megan Fullmer

John Ventimiglia

John Ventimiglia

Hero Furillo

Margaret Colin

Margaret Colin

Lana Cobb

Paul Sparks

Paul Sparks

Gus Papitos

Court is in session

Put The Missing Person on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Form is the argument.”

Every composed frame and deliberate cut is evidence that control can be thrilling in its own right.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Technique in search of a pulse.”

Immaculate construction is still construction. The film may be too busy proving its craft to feel alive.