A Disappointingly Flat Film
The editing and music in Yara were key to its success. The stretches of silence and long cuts combined to completely blunt what was otherwise an important and shocking case that rocked Italy.
The film, “Yara,” is based on the real-life incident that occurred back in 2010, in which a 13 year old called Yara went missing after heading home one winter’s night. Prosecutor Ruggeri remains determined to try and get to the bottom of what happened. ..
Ruggeri uses every means possible to find Yara, even if those are morally and ethically questionable. While that in itself sets up a thrilling investigative effort, the execution is much more of a methodical crawl through simple plot beats, staying as close to the real case as possible.
Just to reiterate, this movie is based on a true story. Yara intersperses media coverage and footage of what happened at key points of the investigation to keep it consistent with the case. It actually works quite well, although the problems with this movie aren’t with the case itself but more with how Yara tells its story. ..
Ruggeri is not a very likable character. She’s impulsive, jumps to conclusions, and in her desire to get someone arrested, actually pins the whole thing on the wrong person to start with. To be fair, the second half of this film does improve her character quite a bit, but it’s a bit of a climb after such a shaky start. ..
The lack of tension, drama and thrills in the film can be largely attributed to the flatlined screenplay. The lack of interest in the story makes it difficult to keep the audience engaged, which ultimately results in a less enjoyable experience.
The editing in Yara feels amateurish and completely messes with the flow of the movie. It’s also not helped that the film is full of long cuts and scenes that are in desperate need of more punchy outcomes.
In the film, there are several scenes where Ruggeri is searching for her daughter. The first is midway through the film, when Ruggeri believes she has lost her. As she begins searching through the school, there’s no music and simple scene cuts from one area to the next. She slowly walks through the hallways before finding her.
The editing of Yara feels rushed and choppy, with little attention paid to developing the characters or scenes. This is a movie that desperately needs more editing to make it more exciting and engaging. ..
Unfortunately, Yara is not a movie to remember. While the case shouldn’t be forgotten, this poor reenactment most certainly should. While the story is serviceable, you’re better off watching a documentary than watching this, as everything here is in desperate need of a tune-up.
