In recent memory, few films have depicted grief as distressingly as Keisuke Yoshida‘s “Missing.” Married couple Saori and Yutaka desperately search for their missing daughter, Miu. As weeks turn into months, things become growingly hopeless, not helped by the media frenzy surrounding this child’s disappearance that prompts the spread of harmful rumors. Even when a local broadcasting station, primarily represented by Sunada, becomes involved in shedding light on the case, its purpose is revealed as self-serving, aimed at attracting viewers.
“Missing” critiques the media sensationalism surrounding missing person cases while showing the emotional and mental toll it takes on a family grieving for their loved one’s return. These elements culminate in arguably the film’s most disturbing and heartbreaking scene. While being interviewed, Saori receives an anonymous phone call from someone claiming to have found Miu and that she’s now in custody at the local police station. She and Yutaka, followed by the news team, rush to the station, only to learn that what she received was merely a cruel prank call. Realizing her daughter is still missing, Saori has a breakdown as her husband tries to conceal her, with Sunada capturing the ordeal on video.
In addition to the brilliant acting by Satomi Ishihara and Munetaka Aoki, this devastating scene powerfully encapsulates the essence of “Missing.” Losing a loved one is painful, and society is often insensitive to grief, and some will exploit tragedy for personal gain. Here, Saori and Yutaka are crushed by a cruel prank, and a morally conflicted journalist videotapes it for his own self-serving goals. It stands as the most haunting moment in Keisuke Yoshida’s superb drama.
