Nowhere (2023) – Review and Summary
Netflix’s Spanish-language survival movie “Nowhere” is a great showcase for Anna Castillo, but a familiar story that doesn’t live up to its dystopian premise.
“Nowhere” General Information
| Director(s) | Albert Pintó |
| Screenplay By | Indiana Lista, Ernest Riera, Seanne Winslow, and Teresa de Resindo |
| Based On | N/A |
| Date Released (Netflix) | September 29, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Drama |
| Film Length | 1 Hour, 49 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Rated TV-MA |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Mia | Anna Castillo |
| Nico | Tamar Novas |
Content Rating Explanation
“Nowhere” is Rated TV-MA due to disturbing images, profanity, nudity, and violence.
Film Summary
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“Nowhere” is a survival movie that depicts one woman’s escape from a totalitarian regime and into a world of danger. The Spanish-language thriller is directed by Albert Pintó and has four credited writers who worked on the movie’s premise and screenplay. “Nowhere” doesn’t lose sight of its plot or message in its 1 hour and 49-minute runtime, but the beginning hints at so much more potential. By the time the credits roll, “Nowhere” feels like well-known territory for most viewers.
“Nowhere” follows Mia and Nico, a couple attempting to leave Spain after a government crackdown on resources has sent society into a dystopian future. We don’t learn the cause of this dystopia or get to see much of the horrors in this society, but we know Nico and Mia are fearful of getting caught. The two seek a new life, with a baby on the way. Nico (Tamar Novas) is seemingly the survivor expert and guides his pregnant wife, Mia, wherever they need to go. But when the two are separated, Mia (Anna Castillo) is left to fend for herself.
In one of the brief, tense, and frightening scenes in “Nowhere,” we see Mia and a group of women cornered by the government’s violent police state. Mia is the only one to survive a bloody massacre, yet in order to survive, she is forced to hide in a shipping container that sends her afloat in the ocean. Mia is determined to reunite with her husband, but first, she must survive the perils of being alone at sea with a baby soon on the way.
“Nowhere” is a serviceable survival tale. The movie is mainly contained in Mia’s time in the shipping container, and the movie stays engaging while keeping us in one location. But survival movies have an either-or result, which could dull the drama if the story can only end one of two ways. “Nowhere” doesn’t shake up the survival genre, but like the film’s protagonist, it keeps going and tries hard to justify its existence through the struggle.
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Mia
At first glance, Mia is insecure and afraid, doubtful of her own abilities to survive or even be a good mother. She depends on her husband’s guidance in the darkest times, but she’s left to depend on herself in the worst situation of her life.
- The actor is also known for their role in “A Perfect Story,” their role in “The Olive Tree,” and their role in “Facil.”
Nico
As Mia’s foil, Nico is self-assured and reassuring to Mia. He encourages and supports her, and while separated, he has absolute faith that Mia can and will survive.
- The actor is also known for their role in “The Open Body,” their role in “The Sea Inside,” and their role in “The Mess You Leave Behind.”
Review
Our Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
Notable Performances or Moments
Anna Castillo as Mia
Anna Castillo continues to show her range and depth with “Nowhere.” Castillo spends most of the film without a scene partner, talking to herself and confronting her character’s trauma through monologues. The role would be exhausting for any actor as it requires ceaseless physicality and close-ups, and like Mia, Castillo only has herself on camera. Anna Castillo conveys the pain of Mia’s journey and the strength she needs within, all while keeping the character sympathetic and riveting.
Highlights
A Creative and Engaging Story Told in One Setting
At least ¾ of “Nowhere” is spent inside or on the shipping container Mia occupies. The setting is a narrative challenge that could bore audiences, but director Albert Pintó and his crew fill the screen with perilous moments that serve as a metaphor for Mia’s being trapped in her own psyche as well. The container is Mia’s own pit of despair but also the place where she finds strength and reason to escape.
On The Fence
The Amount of Hardships Mia Faces Becomes Laughable
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong in “Nowhere.” In the span of 100 minutes, Mia gets separated from her husband, survives a massacre, gets thrown into a storm, gives birth during another storm, is hunted down by a sea creature, and suffers a gruesome injury. These are a handful of struggles Mia faces. While they create momentary action, watching so many bad things happen to Mia is like watching someone continue to fall down a flight of endless stairs.
Squanders Dystopian Premise
The first twenty minutes of “Nowhere” are arguably the most interesting, as we hear a radio snippet of a resource shortage and a government police state that harms its people. But we don’t learn why or how this totalitarian government exists. It’s briefly mentioned one more time during Mia’s voyage at sea, but it feels like “Nowhere” starts as one movie and then forgets or abruptly drops that premise for a different movie.
Who Is This For?
Fans of survival movies (The Wild, A Quiet Place, 127 Hours, Prey, etc.) might enjoy “Nowhere” as an entry in the genre. Women who may feel lost as new mothers may also find strength in “Nowhere”’s protagonist.
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FAQs
Answers to some questions you may have regarding this movie:
The Reason The Movie Is Named “Nowhere”
The movie “Nowhere” gets its name from its protagonist being stranded in the middle of the ocean for the majority of the film’s running time.
Does “Nowhere” set up a sequel or prequel?
By the end, Mia and her baby survive. The oppressive government still seemingly exists. But “Nowhere” doesn’t hint at a continued story.
