Notes on a Mystery

Author(s): Harry
Location: Colombia

“Notes on a Mystery”
A Focus Features Release

Directed by Fernando Meirelles
Written by Jeffrey Caine and Dan Futerman
Produced by Simon Channing-Williams and Tracey Seaward
Music by Alberto Iglesias
Cinematography by César Charlone
Editing by Claire Simpson

Principal Cast:

Jeff Bridges as David Daniel Wales
Catherine Keener as March Parker
Sean Penn as Harry Jenkins
Rachel Weisz as Rachel Jenkins

Tagline: "In times of war, a writer will do anything to solve a mystery"

Synopsis: David Daniel Wales is a journalist, as well as the writer of short stories of an important magazine in Washington. One day, while he read the newspaper, he got obsessed with a case of two American children living in Iraq who got kidnapped without leaving any trace. He starts investigating and making interviews to persons who were close friends or familiars to the victims until he interviewed the parents at Iraq. Some months later, he discovered that something not good was happening. The parents who are doctors begin to get nervous. But the worst thing that happened is when Wales receives a letter that tells “Stop investigating this case. It’s for your own security. And if you continue investigating, you’ll end up the same way that the children did…”

What the press would say:

Without any doubt, “Notes on a Mystery” is the biggest, most thrilling and greatest film of the year. Fernando Meirelles (The Constant Gardener, City of God) has made it again and made a haunting film that is superior to his past works and a thrilling look to the world of medicine in our day.

Sean Penn and Rachel Weisz play the amazing and complex roles of Harry and Rachel Jenkins, two American doctors who are living in Iraq when their children get kidnapped. Catherine Keener is fabulous as Mr. Wales’s assistant, a role similar to the one she played in “Capote” but with smarter lines and some difficult acting parts that she solves perfectly. But the stealer of the show is none other than Jeff Bridges as the obsessed writer who will do anything to solve the mysteries behind the kidnap.

The writing team of Jeffrey Caine (The Constant Gardener) and Dan Futerman (Capote) portray unique and well represented dialogues and a great original screenplay.

The most intriguing, haunting and greatest scene of the film is when Wales solves the conflicts behind the mystery. He discovers that the kidnap was a menace to the parents of the children that needed the formula of the medicine that could cure VIH and starts writing it all for the magazine. There are amazing shots of suspense of Wales writing it all on his computer and sends the story. Immediately, the kidnapers arrive to his house and kill him. Something you wouldn’t expect and will leave you with your mouth open as well as will make you cry really hard and think. Great job from the cast and crew!

This amazing film located in USA and Iraq full of flashbacks and intrigue is without any doubt, the greatest film of the year.

Oscar nominations:

Best Picture – Focus Features
Best Directing – Fernando Meirelles
Best Actor – Jeff Bridges
Best Supporting Actress – Catherine Keener
Best Supporting Actress – Rachel Weisz
Best Supporting Actor – Sean Penn
Best Original Screenplay – Jeffrey Caine and Dan Futerman
Best Score – Alberto Iglesias
Best Cinematography – César Charlone
Best Editing – Claire Simpson