Review of Complete Unknown (2016) by Spangle — 26 Oct 2016

Far too low-key to be anything incredible, Complete Unknown appears to have been quite divisive amongst critics, while entirely despised by audiences (27%! on Rotten Tomatoes from the audience right now). For me, I am apparently one of the few who actually found Complete Unknown to be entirely riveting. Far from a conventional mystery, Complete Unknown tells the story of a woman, Alice (Rachel Weisz), and her reunion with her old boyfriend Tom (Michael Shannon). Having gone 15 years without contact after Alice (then Jenny) dropped off the face of the Earth, Complete Unknown is a film whose mystery is not a crime. Rather, its mystery is who is Alice? What is her past?

A woman who cycles through identities whenever bored, Alice could be written off as merely yet another unlikable protagonist. Yet, it is in fact a story of transformation. For Alice, a woman who is deeply unhappy in her own skin, changing her identity and location grants her a new lease on life. Yes, she burns bridges and many write her off as a pathological liar, but at the center of her is a woman looking to find herself and where she truly belongs. Having tried a buffet of personalities and careers, the film manages to actually be quite harrowing as a character study into this troubled woman. Initially, we - much like the supporting cast - despise her and are confused about why she is lying left and right. It is only later that we realize this is not merely some mystery thriller about a mysterious woman. Rather, it is a tragedy. It is a tragedy about somebody searching for themselves and failing to come up with a suitable answer.

It is for this very reason that the ending is what it is and also why many reject this film. Audiences demand clarity and satisfaction from an ending. Complete Unknown leaves more questions than answers. Though the ending sequence is brilliant with a terrific use of focus racking from director Joshua Marston to visually show us Alice transforming and starting anew, it is far from gratifying as a viewer. This may not bother me personally, but many will find fault with this type of conclusion. Yet, what more can be asked of a woman who frequently drops her life and leaves without a trace? Much like the other characters, they are left with no answers and clueless as to who and where she will be next.

Though an incredibly short film, Complete Unknown develops Alice's character incredibly well, while also doing a good job developing the character of Tom. A disenchanted man who feels himself failing at a job that provides no rewards, his wife - Ramina (Azita Ghanizada) - is set to head to jewelry school across the country. Yet, he is uncertain whether he wants to stay at his dead end job or follow his apparently dead end marriage to California. Similarly to Alice's story, the audience is left not knowing what will happen to Tom. However, this really adds to the mystery and the discussion. For both of our characters, their lives are wholly unsatisfactory. Though in different ways, both are still trying to find themselves and identify what they are meant to be doing in life. This is not something that can be concluded in a film, nor are there any answers that our characters have as of yet. It is here that Complete Unknown is elevated from unremarkable indie film to a thoroughly compelling film that deserves to have an audience.

Featuring good lead performances from Rachel Weisz and Michael Shannon as always, Complete Unknown is an unpredictable and unsatisfactory experience. Those searching for clarity will find none and left hating the film. Those willing to go along with the film and embrace the mystery of life will find that what the film lacks in answers, it more than makes up for it an expertly crafted character study about two tragic figures on the path to nowhere.