The Vanishing of Sidney Hall - A Movie Review

It’s all about beginnings.

The Vanishing of Sidney Hall is a 2017 film. As a mysterious investigator examines the disappearance of Sidney Hall, a young novelist, he discovers the personal tragedies the author has encountered.

How do you tell a story? Stories should be told differently from their traditional narratives. The Vanishing of Sidney Hall is an ambitious, time-hopping film that explores fame, failed dreams, and personal trauma. While it’s a deep film with a poetic structure, it was tough to follow.

Perks of Being a Wallflower star Logan Lerman plays Sidney, a young man who has undergone traumatic situations. He was drawn to how complex the character was. The main reason why Lerman got the role of Sidney Hall is that he could play all three versions of the character in different stages of life. The 26-year-old played the character at ages 16, 24, and 30.

Because of what he’s endured and the people in his life, Sidney prefers to run away from the stories he’s created. Not only does Lerman deliver a strong and emotional performance, but he was also the film’s producer.

Elle Fanning is a wonderful actress who has had more chances to branch out in her career. Fanning is good at playing peculiar characters, putting her own vibrant flair to the role. She plays Melody, a young woman whom Sidney becomes fascinated with. Sidney and Melody’s romance is an affecting aspect of the film, as is what they endure.

The supporting cast is important, playing characters who have impacted Sidney’s life. Kyle Chandler plays “the searcher,” whose actions become more understandable.

Michelle Monaghan and Darren Pettie play Sydney’s parents, who each have their problems. I was excited to see Margaret Qualley in her early career. Credits also include Blake Jenner, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Tim Blake Nelson, Janina Gavanker, and Nathan Lane, who appears as Sydney’s publisher.

The film is directed by Shawn Christensen, whose directing credits include Before I Disappear (2014) and short films. He is multitalented in the entertainment industry, playing music and illustrating. Sidney Hall spent years in pre-production with Christensen and co-writer Jason Dolan, figuring out how to tell the story.

In his direction of Sidney Hall, Christensen examines how pain and art can become too powerful to live with. What if our hobbies were never what we imagined them to be? He could have explored more depth for viewers to connect on a deeper level.

Writers, this is a film for you. A typewriter is the first image that opens the film. I have always enjoyed writing, and it has become my passion. Like Sidney’s worry, what happens when we dive into our personal matters and show them to the world? Our stories help others more than we realize, which is why we should keep telling them.

I have mixed opinions on the way the film was edited. The film wouldn’t have been as impactful if told in the usual format, but it was somewhat confusing in the beginning. The film started making more sense, piecing important scenes together. - like a memory.

In Daniel Katz's cinematography, he finds a way to capture each timeline with a distinct aesthetic - grainy warmth and Sidney’s youth, followed by dark shadows in the present. The cinematography enhances the film’s tone, reflecting how life changes at the most unexpected moments.

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, one of the most popular movie-viewing festivals. The film is a compelling story. Viewers must pay close attention to its nonlinear structure. Take a look at The Vanishing of Sidney Hall.