Where Is Kyra?

Where Is Kyra? is a somber, morally complex drama released in 2017. Helmed by renowned Nigerian director Andrew Dosunmu, the film features sterling performances from Michelle Pfeiffer and Kiefer Sutherland. Known for its thought-provoking script penned by Darci Picoult and Dosunmu's signature vibrant visual style, the film is a commentary on aging, loneliness, and economic crisis in America.

Michelle Pfeiffer, in a highly praised performance, leads the cast as the titular Kyra Johnson, a middle-aged woman who finds herself in dire straits, struggling to make ends meet in Brooklyn, New York City. A striking feature of this narrative is how it diverges from promising the voyeuristic spectacle of Pfeiffer's youthful glamour multifarious earlier roles have offered. Instead of an effervescent beauty, Pfeiffer portrays Kyra's harsh lived reality with depth and rigor, her face serving as a poignant canvas for the film’s emotional narrative.

The storyline of Where is Kyra? presents Kyra's spiraling descent into desperate circumstances as she is forced to confront her fragile existence head-on following her mother's demise. Suzanne Shepherd delivers a compelling performance as Kyra’s elderly, ailing mother, whose loss triggers Kyra’s dilemma. The mother-daughter bond becomes an exploration of connection and loss, and the inevitable practical consequences that follow.

Throwing light on the society's sidelined women, Where Is Kyra? explores Kyra's sense of invisibility and the cruel indifference of bureaucracies. As a middle-aged woman, unemployed and unremarkable in the throes of New York's bustling chaos, Kyra is often forgotten, her needs overlooked, and her struggles silenced. The film thus uses Kyra's story to make a potent statement about the societal disregard for such vulnerable lives.

Kiefer Sutherland adds another layer to the plot with his character, Doug, a sympathetic suitor positioned as the film's male lead. He embarks on a tumultuous relationship with Kyra, which brings to light complexities and contradictions of their personalities and situation. The interplay between Pfeiffer and Sutherland offers some of the movie’s most engaging moments, serving as a testament to their seasoned acting prowess.

Where Is Kyra? leverages the talents of Cinematographer Bradford Young to create a visually distinctive landscape that perfectly mirrors the narrative's mood. The film’s palette is awash with dusky colors and subliminal lighting that underscores Kyra's environs and life, strategically utilizing natural light to capture the raw authenticity of Brooklyn's cityscape like a character unto itself. Young's work turns New York City into an outward expression of Kyra’s inward desperation and despair.

The quiet yet powerful narrative unfolds at a slow, deliberate pace, allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in Kyra's world, and it carefully maintains the tension inherent in her situation. Many scenes are shrouded in murky shadows, reflective of Kyra’s escalating desperation and the psychological toll her circumstances take on her. Even in its quietest moments, the film communicates volumes.

Where Is Kyra? also employs sound in a unique way, offering a silent and withdrawn soundscape supplemented with an occasional haunting soundtrack, and the mundane noises of city life, creating an environment as desperate and quiet as Kyra herself.

Not just a movie but an experience, Where Is Kyra? is a moving portrait of hardship, highlighting the ignored stories of everyday struggle, and the neglected women on the fringe of society. The film articulates the devastating reality many face in their twilight years when they’re most vulnerable, creating an intimate story accentuated with powerful performances, evocative cinematography, and a distinct cinematic style. It might at times be challenging to watch given the despair prevalent throughout but is still an important viewing experience for its compelling discourse on women's past and present societal conditions, and the overlooked crisis of urban poverty.

Summing up, Where Is Kyra? is not a film for those seeking a light-hearted palette cleanser. Rather, it is a piece of art that yields its riches to the patient viewer willing to engage with its intricate narrative about despair, survival, and resilience. Amid its cinematic bleakness, the film subtly unfolds a dramatic tension that speaks volumes about human dignity even faced with life’s harshest trials. Where Is Kyra serves up a quiet yet powerful cinematic experience portrayed by an unforgettably captivating performance from Michelle Pfeiffer.