The Disappearance (2017) User Reviews

Unadventurous but enjoyable

[Bertaut · 7/10 · 6 May 2018]

When Anthony Sullivan (Michael Riendeau) disappears on his tenth birthday, his family is devastated. However, as more and more time passes without the police being able to locate him, long-buried family secrets are dragged to the surface, turning the Sullivan family against one another.

A journeyman show, The Disappearance is very much paint-by-numbers stuff, with nothing you haven't before seen in half-a-dozen similar narratives, with writers Normand Daneau and Geneviève Simard taking no real risks. Having said that, however, it's a well made piece of television. Confidently directed by Peter Stebbings, the material may offer nothing revelatory, but what it does offer is enjoyable enough on its own terms. An excellent Peter Coyote dominates the show as Anthony's grandfather, Henry, a retired judge with a strained relationship (to say the least) with his son, Luke (Aden Young), Anthony's father. As the veneer of civility slowly erodes, the fissures running beneath the family dynamic begin to erupt, with blame and recrimination becoming the central tenets of familial interaction. You may guess half-way through who the kidnapper is, and yes, they're one of those Hollywood kidnappers who leave cryptic clues everywhere, but this remains a well made, if unadventurous, show.

good start but deteriorates

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 17 January 2019]

Anthony Sullivan follows his police investigator grandpa Henry Sullivan (Peter Coyote)'s advice to take photos of his neighborhood for a school project. He even breaks into a home and stumbles upon something. His snooping gets him in trouble at school. His parents Luke and Helen are getting a divorce. It's his 10th birthday. He's following Henry's birthday treasure hunt and goes missing. The show jumps two year ahead and he's still missing.

I like the start. It's a standard missing kid show but it's done well at the beginning. There are good actors. It's only six episodes but even with that, the plot deteriorates. It should be a lot simpler considering its limited run. It's still a worthwhile watch but it's not exceptional in any way.

Wasted Leads, Dull Portrayals, Too Convenient Subplots and One Messed Up Kid

[PurpleCrayon2014 · 6/10 · 1 June 2018]

Oh Peter Coyote, what a dog of a performance you gave in The Disappearance. Micheline Lanctôt's character was useless. Neil Napier wasn't even trying. And then there's poor Anthony, played by Michael Riendeau-a messed up little boy at the beginning of the film, a messed up little boy at then end of the film. Add a splash of sexual sacrifice, a smidgen of 'almost incest' and way too many convenient subplots that miraculously solve themselves; and this could almost be a Lifetime movie(the armpit hair of the film industry). Wasted efforts all around-enough for everyone.

Best Canadian series ever

[caroljj53 · 10/10 · 11 November 2017]

I watched this, at the beginning, only for Aden Turner as I was a fan of his when he was in Rectify. After the first episode I was hooked. Being a fan of mystery thrillers, this was right up my alley. So many twists and turns. Soon I realized that this was a Canadian production based on the original French show. Well done! I now only hope I can purchase this on DVD so I can watch it again. I am sure I missed some subtle things. Thanks all for this series!

Great series up until last episode...

[bevowen · 7/10 · 28 March 2018]

I really enjoyed watching the first 5 episodes as it was gripping. I was disappointed with the last episode as it was too rushed as if the writers made it all up last minute. The ending, when they found Anthony was unrealistic, because no-one thought to make Anthony look older. All kids grow and quickly change and this kid looked like he had gone missing the day before despite being missing for over 2 years!!! Come on, if you are going to say he has been missing for 2 years then common sense prevails that he is unlikely to look the exact same. Very lame ending too...the grandfather shooting himself to 'save' his grandson was ridiculous...if he waited 30 seconds the SWAT Team arrived and would have got Stephen Price. Thank heavens there is no reason for a second series!!

Dismal

[loubyc-52371 · 15 March 2021]

Well, it gets two stars because it started out well. The first episode was intriguing, but each subsequent episode got worse. It was hard to hear the dialogue with loud background noise, and the main characters constantly shouting at each other. The grandfather was obnoxious, the mother screeched a lot, and the son was a drip. The grandson who disappeared was probably the best actor of the lot. It had a reasonable storyline, but was badly let down by the acting and directing. Don't bother.

Child rearing "nature versus nurture" leads to a superlative mystery mini series

[Ed-Shullivan · 9/10 · 8 November 2017]

This mini-series reflects a families three generations and how each generations' children grow up vastly different as a result of being reared in vastly different family environments. Mrs. Shullivan and I recorded the six (6) episodes and then binge watched them, simply because after watching the first episode in which a retired Judge named Henry Sullivan (played brilliantly by Peter Coyote) has plotted out a special treasure hunt for his grandson's Anthony 10th year birthday (played by Michael Riendeau), we could not stop wondering what was going to happen next. Anthony can't wait to start his annual treasure hunt that his Grandfather has plotted out for him this year so when he picks up his batch of clues he immediately starts out on his bicycle to commence his new treasure hunt adventure.

While Anthony's parents, his Aunt, and his Grandfather who he loves dearly, all wait patiently for Anthony to return successful from this years treasure hunt, the hours pass by and Anthony never returns home. Retired Judge Sullivan contacts the police directly calling in some old favors to assist in the initial frantic search for ten (10) year old missing Anthony.

The remaining five episodes loop seamlessly (and very cleverly I must add) back and forth over three (3) decades, but mainly the back flashes concentrate over the last twelve (12) year span providing the audience with tidbits of the Sullivan family dynamics and their history and how emotionally attached all family members are to the missing ten (10) year old Anthony. Judge Sullivan met his future wife when he was a young prosecuting attorney and the future Mrs. Sullivan was a rape victim, who was carrying her rapists child and she refused to abort the pregnancy as it was her decision to carry this child of rape to full term. Judge Sullivan's wife passed away just a few years ago from cancer and so their two adult children rely on their fond memories of their mother to keep her alive in their minds and in their hearts. Without the matriarch of the Sullivan family being alive during the disappearance of ten (10) year old Anthony, Anthony's parents, his Aunt and grandfather Sullivan, are at each others throats blaming his disappearance on each other.

Gradually the family and the police work together to identify clue by clue but the Sullivan families hope is running out to find Anthony alive as Anthony disappeared two years ago, and the police are not any closer to identifying a prime suspect.

The Disappearance is a first rate suspenseful TV mini-series and I will most certainly add it to my purchase list when it is released on DVD. Mrs. Shullivan and I talked about how good this mini-series was and how it gripped us until the bitter end. This is one of the very best mystery mini-series we have watched in the past few years. I rate this six (6) episode special a 9/10 and it is well worth watching every minute of every episode....at least twice.

Overall good series, Peter Coyote is extremely annoying

[randyjrandyj · 7/10 · 30 August 2020]

Warning, spoiler alert!!! Very good series about a kidnapped boy. I became an Aden Young fan after Rectify and Reckoning which were flawed series but Aden is excellent. He's great in this series too. Way too many damn Sullivans in this show to keep track, there are characters with the last name Sullivan both on and off screen. Here are the annoying aspects of this series: 1) Peter Coyote as Henry Sullivan yelling his dialogue throughout the whole entire series, horribly annoying. You know better than this kind of crap Peter, c'mon. 2) Isn't Catherine Sullivan Lukes sister? Wasn't she romantically involved with Fred Cameron who ended up being her brother? Maybe i'm confused, oh well. 3) Fred Cameron was the same person as David Smith, right? Why all the freakin name changes? Makes life a hell of a lot more confusing. 4) The plot would have been much better if the rape of Henry's wife ended up being a cover-up story, they should have revealed that Henrys wife actually had a consentual affair with a criminal and became pregnant, and thats why Henry didn't want to raise the kid. Rape is too overused. 5) Too much of the scavenger hunt clue stuff, that should have ended when the boy went missing. But they kept referring back to clues and then more clues from the kidnapper, letters, clues, stop it already !!!! And Peter please stop yelling!!! 6) Were Stephen Price and Fred Cameron a couple? I mean, seriously, if Fred and his sister were messing around, then Fred and Stephen sounds way more normal. 7) What happened at the Orphanage? Why were kids getting hanged? The priest / father seemed creepy. Did he mess with the kids there? I guess not. Oh well. Kids got hanged. Hmmm. Summary: Anyway folks, its still pretty good and entertaining, worth watching, but episode 4 was really slow, had to fast forward during that one, haha.

flawless generational mystery series

[nyobatusa · 10/10 · 12 November 2017]

it would be very hard to find a flaw in this series hence my highest rating which includes very good acting performance as well. The story is refreshing, very personal and emotional. Every episode keeps you on the edge of the seat and keeps you wanting more yet leaves you clueless as to what is the motive that touches the root of the family and is passed on to two generations. The final episode will climax in redemption that will be evident from the bad choices as a reaction to someone else's bad choices. The series will make you think about revenge, redemption and forgiveness as the only way to stop pain from its vicious cycle.

Everyone Ran out of Gas

[bshaef · 5/10 · 30 July 2019]

This was a great show until the 3rd episode. It seemed to me like everyone, the writers, the director and the actors just ran out of gas and went through the motions from there on. Peter Coyote appeared to be reading his lines from a teleprompter and the rest of the cast disappeared. I don't know what happened but I just totally lost interest and really didn't care what happened in the end. Usually a show is either good or bad from the very start but disappearance had one good half and one bad. That does not make for a good product.

Quantic Dreams needs to see this.

[vmsecanho · 9/10 · 11 November 2017]

This mini series would be a nice adventure game. Clearly the writers are gamers, rç.

I'm surprised they delivered a good and clever drama without the usual 1h+ tiring episodes.

Brilliant acting.

Give This a Miss

[brightspark-78239 · 4/10 · 18 July 2018]

A missing boy plus a dysfunctional family headed by an arrogant, overbearing patriarch simply makes for an annoying shoutfest. IF you enjoy seeing hours of family bickering, shouting and screaming at each other, you might enjoy this. Otherwise, I'd stay well away. Just awful!!

Background music terrible

[amframpage450 · 17 February 2021]

Good mystery story but the constant background soundtrack screws up the dialogue

Dramatic from start to finish

[silvercue_mama · 10/10 · 10 April 2018]

Gripping drama, interesting and deep characters, good mystery with some nice plot developments that keep it constantly engaging. Really good ending too, last two episodes are really dramatic. Well done.

Worth a watch

[biggraham-17811 · 8/10 · 20 February 2021]

Despite the negative reviews, I thoroughly enjoyed this. The acting was good and the plot excellent. Too many amateur reviewers out there trying to be literary geniuses. If you don't like it, stop watching it. It's definitely worth viewing.

Excellent serie

[claudiasimard · 10/10 · 10 March 2018]

Excellent serie, suspens all along, you want to know what is going to happen. Great actors.

I watched it all the way through because the story line was good. However it was ruined by bad acting.

[mcleanmuir · 4/10 · 28 March 2018]

It was like the director had said to the cast "look guys I want you to act like ametuers". Could have been so much better.

The Disappearance.

[igrenemakeup · 10/10 · 3 February 2019]

I came about this by chance, never heard about it and was surprised by that, it was brilliant, as someone already said the last two episodes were very dramatic, it was so obvious who Fred was but it was still the best dramatic show I've seen in while.

Excellent storyline acting atrocious

[jenniwren69 · 5/10 · 24 March 2018]

Fabulous twisting tale keeps you hooked. Only downside is the terrible acting from the two male leads, the judge and his son. This is a real shame as it is hard to take either of them seriously they are so wooden. Would have given it 9 or 10 with different actors.

Loud music

[Neeliesu · 5/10 · 4 February 2018]

I had already watched the French series and enjoyed it, so was looking forward to watching this. I'm sure I would have liked it, but I had to turn it off after about 20 minutes, the back ground music was way too loud so much so that sometimes it was difficult to hear what the characters were saying. I get that sometimes background music is necessary to build tension etc but not to that extent.

Acting, writing and Directing are dreadful

[MSBreault · 3/10 · 11 August 2019]

I thought I liked Peter Coyote until I watched this show. Was he directed or did he refuse direction? The acting and writing are laughable. This is the worst miniseries I have watched all the way to the end, only because it has a good storyline. Too bad they ruined it.

Boring, terrible acting and way too long.

[Birminghamukengland · 1/10 · 7 March 2021]

First two episodes looked very promising but from then onwards, what a drag.

Appalling acting generally. The old bloke really grinds after a while. Totally silly storyline.

Don't waste your time with this.

What I don't understand....

[solitaryman-91051 · 1/10 · 10 July 2019]

I'm writing this review after only the first episode. Why? Because what I don't understand is the premise of the "The Disappearance". How the hell does a parent allow a 9 year old to go to school alone in this day & age, HUH??? We're not talking about the school being around the corner. The kid had to bicycle down to a body of water, take a ferry, fer cryin' out loud and then continue on to the school and then do the same thing after school. What is even more disturbing is that the RETIRED, DOTING, HELICOPTER grandfather, who, btw, lives next door, doesn't take to & bring back the boy is particularly astounding given that he was a prosecutor & a judge & must have handled HUNDREDS of crimes. THIS MAKES NO SENSE!!!! Like I said, this 1 star review is only for the first episode. I'll see how this plays out, if I can tolerate it, and re-review the The Disappearance.

Could have been good.

[davholsea-99002 · 3/10 · 30 March 2021]

The trailer would have you believe that this series was about an abduction being solved using a kids homework project.

Nothing of the kind.

Awful convoluted plotting wrapped in melodrama, and some aspects/scenes that make you shout "why would anyone do that????" This review is my gift to you so that you don't waste 6 hours of your life on this crap the way I did.

Don't waste your time

[dsmyth-09592 · 1/10 · 29 January 2020]

Acting is so bad it's hard to watch and music is ridiculous throughout