“Somebody we know did this.” Everybody knows – at Thame cinema

THAME Cinema 4 All kicks off 2020, on Saturday, January 4, with this sumptuous drama about a family forced under traumatic circumstances to confront its secrets.

Laura (Penélope Cruz) returns to her home village in rural Spain. The occasion is a big family wedding – an occasion that is pregnant with the potential for familial confrontations, the opening of wounds, and tearful recriminations. Laura brings her two children with her, but her husband Alejandro (Darin) has stayed in their new home country of Argentina for work reasons. It is some time since Laura was last here and there are secrets associated with her earlier life that she hopes will remain buried in the past.

But her daughter Irene soon strikes up a connection with a local boy, who tells of Laura’s passionate love for a local man, Paco (Bardem), who was left heartbroken after her departure. Apparently “everybody knows” about this love affair, but it remains unclear just what else there is to tell.

Then Irene disappears in the middle of the wedding party, apparently taken from her room, and whoever has abducted her leaves behind newspaper clippings relating to an earlier kidnapping. Soon, untraceable text messages appear demanding money and threatening the worst should the police become involved.

It is an exacting blow to the family, apparently delivered by someone who knows just what buttons to push. In their efforts to unpick what has happened and who might be behind it, the family implodes under the weight of long held jealousies, suspicions, resentments and betrayals. There is a masterly command of storytelling from Farhadi – whose films from his native Iran (The Salesman, A Separation) share an interest in secrets, lies and retributions – and knockout performances from a mesmerising ensemble cast. Gripping and gorgeous.
View the trailer HERE

EVERYBODY KNOWS
Spain 2018, 130 minutes, 15 certificate
Directed by Asghar Farhadi, Starring Penélope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darín, Eduard Fernández, Bárbara Lennie, Inma Cuesta

Thame Players Theatre, Nelson Street, Thame – Doors open 7.30pm