An entertaining and satisfying reenactment of an amazingly twisty investigation. But that’s all. Other than that, the film has nothing to say.
As part of the World Cinema Documentary Section of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where most of our Top Sundance 2021 Films are competing, Misha And The Wolves proved at the same time satisfying and disappointing.
This review contains spoilers.
In any film endeavoring to recount a well-known or easily accessible story, the goal is to offer a fresh perspective, a new angle that reveals or emphasizes certain dimensions, ultimately demonstrating or suggesting something new. Unfortunately, Director Sam Hobkinson falls short of achieving this in “Misha And The Wolves.”
The film recounts the story of author Misha Defonseca, renowned for her bestselling book and subsequent film adaptation detailing her purported journey as a 7-year-old across war-torn Europe in search of her deported parents—a tale that later turned out to be fabricated.
What the director effectively delivers is an engaging and sometimes thrilling narrative of how Misha Defonseca crafted her deceitful narrative, betraying her friends and readers worldwide. The documentary adeptly navigates Misha’s evolving relationship with her publisher and the ensuing investigation into the truth behind her story, capitalizing on inherent twists to create an enjoyable viewing experience. Through clean visuals, a well-assembled cast of interviewees, and skillful use of reenactments and archives, the director showcases strong storytelling abilities, resulting in a compelling and easily digestible narrative.
However, the film transitions from exploring Misha’s interpersonal relationships to focusing on the investigation led by her publisher without fully addressing certain questions, such as the financial implications for the publisher or the legal aftermath between the two women.
More significantly, the film suffers from the absence of the director’s presence. It adopts an extremely neutral tone, failing to offer any new perspective or insight into the story being told. While technically proficient, the film lacks the director’s voice and fails to explore intriguing ideas it briefly touches upon. The director’s occasional intervention, such as asking an interviewee a question, hints at a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the nature of storytelling itself—a theme hinted at but never fully realized.
Ultimately, “Misha And The Wolves” remains a well-crafted but generic and impersonal retelling of Misha’s story, offering little beyond what can be found online. The director’s failure to infuse the film with a distinct perspective or message leaves viewers questioning what they should glean from the narrative.
How should we look back at this story? What should we take away from it? The director has no clue.
