Checking out a foreign film in the crime genre, I was introduced to the movie Unidentified that was made in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Quite different in their ways of filmmaking, I found that similar topics for storylines were just as compelling as American made detective films. While Saudi Arabia laws and their investigations are handled with kid gloves in the film, violence is at a minimum and solving crimes are more of a delicate process.
The story begins with the introduction of showing the dead body of a teenager in the desert of Riyadh in central Saudi Arabia. The story then quickly switches to the introduction of Noelle Al Saffan (Mila Al Zahrani) who has recently divorced and starting a new life in the big city of over 8 million people. Taking a chance for a job at the police station she gets hired on her ability to convince the police chief (Meshal Al Mutairi) that she can handle a clerk’s job. It’s not long that the report of the death of the teen falls on her desk to be filed. Seeing a chance to show her intelligence and able to convince the chief that a woman should assist in the investigation, she gets appointed to help.
After rooting out the teen’s identity, she dives into a lead that becomes widespread. Keeping the story moving from schools, students, and suspects, Director and cowriter Haifaa Al Mansour keeps his audience guessing throughout the hour and 39 minutes. He moves his actors around the busy city with Noelle sticking her head into many of the wealthy suspects and stirring a pot of social codes. Very cunning, his film has several clever distractions leading to the creative finale.
Unidentified has been rated Rated PG-13 by the MPA for some violent content, thematic elements and teen smoking. The film in presented in the Arabic language with English subtitles.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Mila Al Zahrani, Meshal Al Mutairi, Shafi Al Harthi, Othoub Sharar, Abdullah Al Qahtani,
Directed and co-written by: Haifaa Al Mansour
Genre: Foreign, Thriller, Crime, Mystery
MPA Rating: PG-13 for some violent content, thematic elements and teen smoking
Running Time: 1 hr. 39 min.
Released in: Select Theaters
