The Missing Person
| The Missing Person | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Noah Buschel |
| Written by | Noah Buschel |
| Starring |
Michael Shannon Amy Ryan Frank Wood Linda Emond Margaret Colin John Ventimiglia Merritt Wever Paul Adelstein Liza Weil Daniel Franzese |
| Distributed by | Strand Releasing |
Release dates |
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Running time | 101 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $48,895 |
The Missing Person is a 2008 comedy-drama mystery film written and directed by American independent filmmaker Noah Buschel and starring Michael Shannon and Amy Ryan. It was first released at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival and at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival, distribution rights were secured by Strand Releasing. The film released to a limited number of theaters on November 20, 2009.
Synopsis
John Rosow (Michael Shannon) is an alcoholic private investigator. Suddenly Rosow is given the case of his life when he is hired to tail a man named Harold Fullmer (Frank Wood) on a train. Rosow soon discovers that Fullmer is one of the thousands presumed missing after 9/11, and that the Fullmer has fashioned a new life for himself. As the film progresses, Rosow faces the moral decision to take Fullmer, unwilling, back to his wife in New York, or if he will let Fullmer remain in his fabricated life.
Cast
- Michael Shannon as John Rosow
- Frank Wood as Harold Fullmer
- Amy Ryan as Miss Charley
- Linda Emond as Megan Fullmer
- Paul Sparks as Gus
- Margaret Colin as Lana Cobb
- Paul Adelstein as Drexler Hewitt
Reception and release
The film has received mostly positive reviews and holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes as of December 30, 2009. Buschel has been nominated for the 2009 Gotham Award for Best Breakthrough Director for his work on the film. According to Box Office Mojo, it has grossed $48,895 so far as of March 2, 2010. It appeared on IFC.com's ten best films of 2009, San Francisco Bay Guardian's Top Three Films of 2009, and Variety critic Dennis Harvey's Top 25 films of the year.