Missing 1982

The film opens with a heartfelt camcorder video from 2008, showcasing a sweet moment between six-year-old June Allen and her father, James, during a family getaway. The joyous atmosphere turns bleak when James experiences a sudden nosebleed, which he dismisses despite the concern of his wife, Grace. As the clip abruptly ends, a sense of foreboding lingers, and we’re soon informed that James has succumbed to a brain tumor. A montage follows, illustrating the kindness of friends and family as Grace contends with her overwhelming grief.

Fast forward to present day, and June, now played by Storm Reid, grapples with a strained relationship with her mother, Grace. There is a palpable distance between them; June feels stifled by Grace’s incessant nagging. Meanwhile, Grace has moved on romantically with Kevin Lin and is preparing for a trip to Colombia. Left to her own devices, June seeks refuge in partying with her best friend, Veena.

As the days slide by, June’s sorrow turns into reckless behavior. Kevin makes attempts to keep in touch with June while away, sending updates and pictures, but she’s too consumed in her own world to respond. Instead, she turns to a party lifestyle, punctuated by occasional interactions with Heather, a lawyer friend of Grace’s.

Upon Grace and Kevin’s return, June greets them at the airport with a cheeky sign welcoming “Gracie” back from prison. However, her spirits dampen when she notices that their luggage has been forgotten. A call to the hotel brings alarming news: they saw two Americans leave without their bags. Driven by a desire to uncover the truth, June asks for access to the hotel’s security footage, which requires swift action since it will soon be overwritten.

Venturing into the complexities of GoNinja in Colombia, June embarks on a mission to find a trustworthy and cost-effective aide to access the security footage. Her quest leads her to Javier Ramos, who, after some persuasion, agrees to help. Although his first attempts fall short, he stumbles upon critical information: Kevin was spotted at a hardware store in Getsemani. With Heather’s support, June reaches out to FBI Agent Elijah Park for assistance in locating her mother.

Together, June and Veena delve into Kevin’s digital life, managing to crack his password and explore his emails. They stumble across troubling revelations, finding numerous blocked messages, each referring to Kevin with different names like Darren, Kyle, or Luke. Park sheds light on Kevin’s sketchy past, revealing that he is a con artist fresh out of prison, rendering any illicit evidence useless in court.

Their investigation leads them to Rachel Page, known as “bunnicakes”, a woman whose colleagues reported her missing two weeks ago. Javier’s findings confirm that Kevin’s recent visit to the hardware store was solely for acquiring a lock. June’s relentless pursuit uncovers that Kevin’s last known location before Colombia was a secluded house, a discovery that prompts her to call the number associated with that address. This leads her to Jimmy, who informs her that Kevin sought him for redemption concerning his misdeeds.

Exploring Kevin’s online dating profiles reveals how he met Grace, relationships built on shared experiences. Yet, beneath the surface, there lurks a dark undertone tied to Grace’s concealed truths. When Park shares startling evidence, it becomes evident that what was thought to be a romantic trip for Grace and Kevin was merely a ruse leading to their abduction by masked armed men, igniting national concern over Grace’s disappearance.

As the plot thickens, June learns that Kevin’s innocent-looking photo updates were deliberate misdirection, concealing Grace’s fate and replacing her with her look-alike, Rachel. Rachel’s subsequent arrest only deepens the mystery surrounding the calculated circumstances of Grace’s vanishing.

In her turmoil, June turns to Javier for comfort and assistance. However, darkness shadows her every move as she becomes increasingly ensnared in the mystery of her mother’s fate. News reports reveal a tangled web of deceptions, including hints about her mother’s false identities and sealed records. As June grows frustrated, the emotional weight amplifies.

Using an encrypted messaging app, June infiltrates Kevin’s digital space, leading her to an ominous lead: Heather, whose name now means something sinister in the context of her mother’s disappearance. Armed with an Apple Watch, she stealthily investigates Heather’s office, unearthing incriminating evidence that culminates in the shocking discovery of Heather’s murder.

As news of the brutal crime spreads, June learns from Park that Kevin was sighted at the Colombian border. Curious, she resumes her encrypted chat, uncovering a spine-chilling discussion between Kevin and a mysterious figure. Veena sends her a link to a live crime tracker app, confirming that authorities have tracked Kevin to a hotel in Colombia. Chaos erupts when gunfire ensues, resulting in Kevin’s tragic demise, leaving Grace’s fate hanging in uncertainty.

Overwhelmed by despair, June lashes out at Javier about his relationship issues with his son. While clearing her voicemail, memories flood back, including Grace’s loving nickname for her, “Junebug.” This sparks an idea: June uses the “Junebug” password to access Grace’s email backup, uncovering a shocking message referencing her mother’s location, along with a hint towards security cameras in a place that sends shivers down her spine: her childhood home.

A phone call from Jimmy reveals an astounding twist—he is, in fact, James, June’s presumed-dead father, who is alive. His revelation leads to an intricate tale of deception spun by Grace, who crafted his fabricated death to keep June safe. As the past unfolds, James’s sinister truth surfaces: his nosebleeds were not from illness, but were signs of an abusive addiction that tormented Grace and June.

As James’s manipulations reach a climax, he intimidates June into submission, trapping her in a deafening silence with the ghosts of her childhood. Grace, though captive, remains indomitable. A fierce moment arrives when she turns the tables on James, fighting back courageously.

Their reunion, however, is bittersweet, as another wave of terror crashes down when James uses his firearm against June. Nevertheless, Grace seizes the moment to turn the tide, empowering herself in the battle against a tormentor who once dominated their lives.

With clarity dawning, June remembers Grace’s reliance on digital tools in daily tasks. In a gripping moment, she accesses her phone using Siri, summoning help just as James’s intentions spiral out of control. As the aftermath unfolds, June and Grace are whisked away to safety, their harrowing experience culminating in a story that resonates within the crime drama, Unfiction.

In a world tangled by secrets, past shadows, and newfound connections, June’s journey unfolds further as she communicates with Javi, whose narrative also finds closure upon reuniting with his estranged son. Their heartfelt interaction is a pivotal moment of healing, encapsulated by June’s profound confession: “I love you,” conveyed not aloud, but through the digital chasms of text messaging, symbolizing a crucial, albeit delicate, step forward in rebuilding the bond between mother and daughter.