The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson (1997)

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

There's a good chance the film will make you laugh out loud, but if it doesn't, there's an even better chance it will make you openly sob.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

i thought this was called the "the mysterious Disappearance of Kevin Johnson" it had a different cover on it when i seen it as well. words cannot describe how bad this film is which wouldn't be so bad except every review on the box touted it as a cinematic great. the documentary shooting style is unbelievably painful and boring, when it starts you assume it's only going to stay in the style for about ten minutes but it stays that way as far as i know for the whole film. I watched it in a large group and we were all excited to watch it because of the ratings but after an hour, for more than half of which i had to fight to keep it on despite finding every second absolute misery (i genuinely believed it must have had some merit - it didn't) we turned it off took it up to the second hand shop and sold it for 25p towards a new film.

Interesting technique - a mystery wrapped in a documentary-style presentation. So real-sounding that you want to know more and find yourself becoming more engrossed as details are progressively revealed. The climax plays Hollywood at their own game. Perhaps a little tame at the end but full marks for innovation!

"The Disappearance of Kevin Johnson" is an intriguing title. At least inasmuch as it hints at the disappearance of someone. The film begins with a British film crew making a documentary of interviews with characters played by actors who supposedly are going to shed some light on the disappearance of a charismatic, wealthy Hollywood producer. The sad fact is the whole film is dedicated to one long string of interviews which lead to nothing. No Kevin Johnson. No story. Nothing to compel, to evoke, with which to empathize much less entertain. In fact, the film is the antithesis of everything we know to be good about cinema. This film is utter claptrap and a sad practical joke on the audience.

I rented this movie expecting to see the usual straight-to-video crap, but was pleasantly surprised. The originality of this film was astounding, I have never seen or heard of a movie like this before (not saying there isn't but I have never heard of it). Done in a mock documentary style the film unfolds like a real life investigative journalism story. We learn more about the situation as the "film makers" learn more. More twists and intrigues occur as the movie progresses. I found myself leaning more and more forward in my chair not wanting to miss anything, suspecting everyone. Near the end I was concerned that the ending was going to be a let down but I rewound the tape feeling more than satisfied, I wouldn't of done it any different. Brilliant!