Everybody Knows

Everybody Knows, which stars Oscar winners Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem, was the recipient of eight nominations at the 2019 Goya Awards (Spanish Academy Awards) and quintessentially highlights the increased production values of films from Spain.

Merriment turns into a mother’s worst nightmare when Laura’s (Penelope Cruz) daughter is kidnapped whilst at a wedding reception outside Madrid in Spain.

Was the kidnapper an uninvited guest or one of the many family members who attended the wedding? What is the family secret which everybody silently knows about which could hinder the identity of the kidnapper and the safe return of the girl?

This thriller, which is one of the few Spanish films to have received a cinematic release in Australia in recent years, is spoken in Spanish with English subtitles. It won’t set the box office on fire in this country but will be an enthralling two hours in a darkened cinema for those discerning movie-goers who wisely choose to attend. (MMo)

★★★ ½