mancusoMINI: Nowhere Special

This disarmingly quiet drama is effective and affecting

mancusoMINI is a series of short-form reviews for new films that I saw but that are beyond my primary review slate (or I just didn’t have enough time to write a full review).

I try to see every new film that comes out in American theaters, but that goal coupled with my busy schedule often leaves me going into screenings completely blind, save for a quick glance at a logline during the previews. Likewise, all I knew of Uberto Pasolini’s Nowhere Special was its central idea and its strong Letterboxd score, so his disarmingly quiet film about a young single father desperately trying to find a new family for his young son was, as Nicole Kidman would say, perfect and powerful. Pasolini (with no relation to the Italian neorealist filmmaker, as far as I can tell) forces introspection with methodical visual storytelling substituting an excess of dialogue. Despite the film’s abbreviated runtime at 96 minutes, the narrative feels satisfyingly full, neither rushed nor dragged out. This effect is partially achieved by the film’s admittedly heartbreaking scenario that, in the hands of a lesser filmmaker, could feel emotionally manipulative. But because of his circumstances, John, given such beautiful texture by James Norton, is forced to wrestle with fundamental questions that all parents face: how do our small decisions transform our children’s lives? Is parenthood something that happens to you? Is it a choice? Is it a calling? John’s quickly-disappearing time with his son brings these questions to front of mind, making Pasolini’s film a lean yet affecting piece of drama that pulls on your heartstrings in all the best ways.

8/10 - Great