The Unknown Woman (2008) Movie Information:

The Unknown Woman (2008) Directed by: Giuseppe Tornatore The Unknown Woman (2008) Written by: Giuseppe Tornatore and Massimo De Rita The Unknown Woman (2008) Cast: Xenia Rappoport, Michele Placido, Claudia Gerini, Margherita Buy, Pierfrancesco Favino, Piera Degli Esposti, Clara Dossena, Alessandro Haber, Ángela Molina, Pino Calabrese, Nicola Di Pinto

The Unknown Woman (2008) U.S. Distributor: Outsider Pictures The Unknown Woman (2008) U.K. Distributor: Transmedia International Releasing

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The Unknown Woman (2008) Synopsis:

Irena "the unknown" (Rappoport) is an Ukranian young woman living in the Italian city of Velarchi. Soon we discover she has an horrible past of violence and humiliations. To pursue a mysterious aim she manages, by any means, legal and illegal, to get the job as an house servant for a wealthy couple with a little girl. She grows closer and closer to the family, especially to the girl, who suffers from a rare neurological disease. But someone will come back from her past, bringing new horrors and violence.

The Unknown Woman (2008) Movie Review:

This year’s Official Submission from Italy to the Best Foreign Language Film Category of the 80th Annual Academy Awards comes from Giuseppe Tornatore (Cinema Paradiso) in the form of The Unknown Woman (La Sconosciuta), a twisted mystery thrill ride with strong characters, well crafted camerawork, and a masterful cast—all of which will leave you breathless and spent. It’s different, it’s a foreign, and it’s sure to provide much more entertainment than any average American thriller.

From the dark, creepy seductive opening where women in lingerie wearing similar masks while a man watches them through a small hole in the wall, we can tell that this is going to be an interesting journey. Finally, a woman is chosen, her mask is removed, and we get a glimpse of the unknown who later is known as Irena (Xenia Rappoport). There is so much mystery revolving around the opening that your mind can’t help but reel. It is mostly induced by the crosscutting, which starts the well-crafted parallel storytelling between the past and the present. That is the real core of this story that will sink in after you catch your breath. Tornatore helps us see that life is not simply living in the moment. It’s a combination of the past that continues to haunt us as we make decisions that precariously parallel decisions made previous. Irena has a very troubled past as a prostitute that encountered some problems that I won’t spoil and she constantly relives the nightmare as she goes through her daily life and especially as she attempts to right the wrongs she has endured. The plot is twisted and engaging but I can’t say that much because it could easily be spoiled.

What I can tell you is that The Unknown Woman intertwines multiple themes of love, struggle, passion, regret, and drive all wrapped up neatly in a package that goes from being a suspenseful Hitchcockian thriller to an endearing exposé in true human connection and back again. The heart of the story lays in the relationship between Irena and Thea (Clara Dossena), the child of the home where she serves as the housekeeper. They share a strong bond as Irena teaches Thea to overcome her disability, which consists of easily bruising and the inability to use her normal body defenses. Through the bonding, we see what true love can be like and how far someone will go to protect someone that they love while dealing with their own demons.

Massimo De Rita and Giuseppe Tornatore’s script is tight and controls your emotions. It’s well-paced, full, rich, and holds some huge twists that truly grab you. But there are others that helped make this a great film. Fabio Zamarion’s cinematography is gorgeous and each shot is carefully crafted, saying something in each camera move in every beautifully crafted shot. Ennio Morricone’s score is absolutely stellar. It’s diverse and perfectly helps weave the tale of emotion with each honed leitmotif. The supporting cast does a terrific job as well. Claudia Gerini, who plays Valeria Adacher and Pierfrancesco Favino, who plays Donato Adacher, are solid performers but the standout performances definitely come from Rappoport and Dossena.

The best way to describe this film is as an enjoyable anxiety attack. It’s disturbing yet beautiful, intense yet subtle, cold yet warm. The Unknown Woman is a mysterious thriller that leaps out of the genre, creating something all the better. You’ll be so busy trying to stay on your chair, tensing up, and falling in love with Clara Dossena that you’ll forget that you’re watching a film from one of Italy’s most acclaimed directors.

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The Unknown Woman (2008) review written by: Bryce Carlson