Natalie D.C.
Summer is the season to escape the mundanities of the real world—from dead-end jobs to an oppressive family life. No new release better captures this desire for freedom than The Kidnapping of Arabella, written and directed by Italian filmmaker Carolina Cavalli. The drama follows a woman named Holly (Immaculate‘s Benedetta Porcaroli) who goes on a quest to rewrite the mistakes of her past when she meets Arabella (newcomer Lucrezia Guglielmino), an eight-year-old yearning to run away from her self-absorbed father Orest (Chris Pine of Poolman and Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves). The Kidnapping of Arabella premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival and debuted for a limited United States theatrical release from Oscilloscope Laboratories on July 17.
The film opens with two back-to-back prologues introducing dual protagonists Arabella and Holly. Right away, chemistry between characters is at an all-time high, as Pine in his debut non-English role is a hilariously deadpan pair to rambunctious Guglielmino, whose youth never takes away from her raw passion and talent as the titular Arabella.
Indeed, odd conversations between juxtaposing personalities and dry humor make up the foundation of The Kidnapping of Arabella, its surreal nature reminiscent of the early work of Yorgos Lanthimos, specifically 2005’s Kinetta by notable filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos. The film never shies away from this absurdity, instead opting to lean into its charms using every tool at its disposal—from Holly’s unorthodox metaphors to frequent close-ups of each unique background character.
“I don’t want you to become the wrong version. Like me.” This devastating line is delivered by broken Holly upon mistaking Arabella for her younger self who, she believes, has slipped through a crack in the space-time continuum. The audience of The Kidnapping of Arabella knows the eight-year-old girl yearning for an adult to pay her any mind will do anything to get away from her bitter father. So, after being dropped off at the nearest “Taco King,” Arabella goes along with Holly’s delusions to escape.
As the pair scheme themselves to freedom—from holding a hotel receptionist at gunpoint to scamming unsuspecting newlyweds—their troubled pasts seem to recede further and further in their subconsciouses. That is until news of Arabella’s apparent kidnapping spreads like wildfire, and Holly learns the truth behind her new friend’s true identity.
While The Kidnapping of Arabella is undoubtedly a wholly original and hilariously deadpan take on the “road movie” genre, its second act can’t help but meander, as Holly and Arabella’s shenanigans distract from further developing their fascinating characters. Aside from Holly’s dead mother, miserable job at the local ice rink, and a particular regret from her childhood, the audience learns next to nothing about her throughout the film, other than that she’s lost, delusional, and supposedly “studies physics” in her free time. The same can be said for adorable, energetic Arabella, who never divulges the reasons behind her apparent disdain for her author father, model mother, or otherwise privileged lifestyle.
Similarly, Chris Pine’s enthusiastic portrayal as pathetic Orest in The Kidnapping of Arabella fails to divert attention away from the fact that he—as well as his relationship to his lost daughter—is an enigma to the audience. Indeed, all three of these disparate, yet equally adrift characters are fantastically portrayed by their respective actors. It is for this exact reason that their lack of development stings. Orest and Arabella’s lack of scenes together aches, as the film makes its way towards its tumbling, bittersweet conclusion.
With all of this said, The Kidnapping of Arabella takes viewers on a witty, unpredictable journey through an Italian summer as protagonists Holly and Arabella strive to heal old wounds, come to terms with their mundane lives, and, most importantly, make a new friend along the way. Beautifully shot by cinematographer Lorenzo Levrini, as well as written and directed with love, this is a standout sophomore feature from Carolina Cavalli, following 2022’s Amanda, that absolutely cements her as an auteur in the making.
