DISAPPEARANCE AT CLIFTON HILL

Canada, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.

Tuppence Middleton, Hannah Gross, David Cronenberg, Maria Josee Croze, Paulino Nunez, Elizabeth Saunders, Andy McQueen, Eric Johnson, Aaron Poole.

Directed by Albert Shin.

A Canadian mystery. The film opens tantalisingly with a little girl on a picnic witnessing the abduction of a small boy. Photos are taken – including an image of one of the abductors, a woman.

However, most of the action takes place when the little girl has grown up – and she has a history of her own, initially sympathetic, but revealed to have had troubled mental problems and a consummate liar. When she returns to Niagara, Ontario, the younger sister wants to sell the motel that had belonged to their now deceased mother who had supported, financially, her absent and wayward daughter.

However, the young woman decides to investigate the abduction from the past, searches the newspapers, police records, discusses with the police the situations, eventually identifying the parents of the boy as magicians in a circus. She also tracks down the woman in the photo, gradually building up a picture of the abduction, suggestions of child abuse, especially concerning a member of the wealthy family in the town who is interested in buying the motel.

She herself and her past are revealed bringing doubts on her investigations and theories.

Just when the audience has believed her, there is quite a twist at the ending, raising questions about everything that has gone before.

British actress Tuppence Middleton plays the central role. There is an intriguing cameo from director, David Cronenberg who has also been investing the case and deaths in the river that flows to the Niagara Falls.

1. Mystery? Detection? Plot twists? Final solution?
2. Canadian production, Ontario and the Canadian sign of Niagara Falls? The town, casinos, motels, police precincts? And Niagara Falls itself? The musical score?
3. The prologue, the family fishing, at the and the bucket, seeing the boy with one eye, the abduction, the family photos, the car and of Mole in the background? The mystery?
4. 25 years later, Abby, back home, with her sister, their mother’s death, the motel, the plans for the sale, Charles Lake and his wanting to buy the motel? The prestige of the lake family in the town, boardrooms and portraits? Abby wanting to keep the motel? Laura and willing to sell? The meals, Laura and her husband?
5. Looking at the photos, the mystery of the abduction? Abby, deciding to go to the police – and the irony of being in the bar, picked up by the policeman, the sexual encounter and his reaction? The police not being interested?
6. Abby, her lying about herself? The later revelation that she was compulsive liar, her years in Phoenix, the institution, the affair, her mother having to intervene and pay? Her mother’s heart attack and death? Laura and her exasperation with Abby?
7. Abby’s investigations, the newspapers, the mysterious disappearance, the magicians and their son, the mysterious woman, looking through documents, getting the video, looking at the magicians, the Tiger, their son, suspicions?
8. The encounter with Water Bill, his family, diving, investigations, discussions with Abby, her lying about Vancouver, later meeting him, the discussions, the various theories about the boy’s disappearance? Thrown into the water, the power of the river and the falls?
9. The various theories, Charles Lake, propensity for boys, the other boy’s death, under suspicion? The boy’s parents, Abby going to see them perform, confronting them afterwards, there magicians tricks, the story of blackmail? Her finding Bev mole, deceiving her, getting her to the motel, promises for the casino, meeting her bedridden husband, later rescuing him, his story? Water Bill and his falling out with Abby?
10. Charles Lake his arrest, for the murder of the boy, for paedophilia?
11. The arrival of the boy was one eye the motel? The audience having to work out what was true and what was falls, abduction, Bev mole and her husband, their motivation, blackmailing the magicians, Charles like protecting the boy?…