‘Kidnapping Arabella’ Review: Chris Pine and the Wonders of a Quirky Italian Road Trip
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, film critic Charlotte Thompson writes in an exclusive op-ed:
Carolina Cavalli’s Kidnapping Arabella opens with one of the most delightful cinematic surprises of the year: Chris Pine, poured into a tight suit, speaking flawless Italian while visibly seething with jealousy over Jonathan Franzen! Apparently, the American actor went as far as learning the language specifically to star in an Italian film, rather than just picking up lines for a role—a mission accomplished with flying colors.
Pine’s unexpected presence does a massive service to the film’s inherently eccentric road-trip atmosphere. Once you accept that the Dungeons & Dragons star could very well be the next breakout sensation of Italian comedy, swallowing the movie’s other far-fetched twists becomes a whole lot easier.
The plot centers around a seven-year-old girl named Arabella (played with brilliant, natural warmth by Lucrezia Guglielmino), the only child of a pretentious writer named Oreste Di. While her father is completely absorbed in tedious literary events, Arabella has just one simple desire: to visit a fast-food joint called “Taco King.” When her father finally sends her off just to get some peace and quiet, the narrative takes a sharp turn.
In the restaurant’s parking lot, a chaotic woman in her twenties named Holly encounters Arabella. Played by Benedetta Porcaroli—the star of Cavalli’s debut feature, Amanda—Holly is a former child prodigy who was told she would become a great ballerina, but now works at a dilapidated ice rink, deeply resentful of her wasted potential. Spotting Arabella limping to get attention (the exact same stunt Holly pulled as a child), she falls into the delusion that this little girl is a miniature version of her past self. The illusion deepens when Arabella sees Holly’s nametag and claims her name is Holly too.
Arabella wants someone to take her seriously, and Holly is desperately searching for a second chance at life. Naturally, running away together becomes the only logical conclusion. The film’s deadpan tone and dry humor draw distinct parallels to cult favorites like Napoleon Dynamite or the critically acclaimed Fremont (co-written by Cavalli and Babak Jalali, who also serves as editor here). Yet, its pacing and momentum feel much more reminiscent of classic Italian road comedies like Il Sorpasso.
Their erratic journey is packed with bizarre escapades, from crashing weddings in a desperate search for belonging to staying at motels under aliases. While the film experiences slight pacing dips when diverting attention to secondary characters—such as a sympathetic police officer or Arabella’s father—the vibrant, compelling performances of Porcaroli and Guglielmino prevent it from turning monotonous, beautifully complemented by an engaging, atmospheric soundtrack.
Ultimately, Kidnapping Arabella is a bittersweet exploration of the fear of paths not taken. For all her bitter narcissism, Holly acts out of genuine compassion, determined to stop this young girl from turning into a “flawed copy” of herself. Despite its narrative knots and occasional stretches of logic, the film reaches a thoroughly satisfying destination, proving that sometimes, it is precisely these contradictions that make our stories worth telling.
