Common Sense Media Review
By Kat Halstead
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Harrowing crime docu has mature themes, sexual violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In MISSING: THE LUCIE BLACKMAN CASE, archive footage, reconstructions, and more recent interviews piece together the case of British tourist Lucie Blackman, who went missing while working as a club hostess in July 2000. This documentary tells the story of her father's efforts to keep attention and resources on the case, and of the Japanese detectives and investigators who were faced with uncovering a series of horrific crimes.
Is It Any Good?
A series of archive footage, reconstructions, and more recent interviews revisit the case of missing British tourist Lucie Blackman in this true crime documentary. Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case sets the stage for one of the biggest international investigations of the early 2000s, following the clues from Blackman's disappearance to her father's unwavering dedication, to the gradual uncovering of increasingly horrific information that led to the truth behind her disappearance and the assaults and deaths of numerous other women that worked as hostesses in Tokyo's Roppongi district. The outcome of the case can easily be found on the internet, but the intricacies of the investigation and the personal story behind it are revealed here in many layers -- that of the family, the other women who fell victim to similar crimes, and of the police investigators, some of whom are still so affected they have visited her place of death for the past 20 years to pray for her peace.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case compared to other crime documentaries you've seen. What do you think are some of the ethical implications of sharing these stories on-screen as a form of entertainment?
The documentary makes reference to disturbing sexual crimes. How well did you think it balanced reporting information with sensationalizing or becoming gratuitous? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
Lucie Blackman's father shows perseverance during the documentary that appears to have affected how much time and effort was put into the case. Why is perseverance an important character strength? Can you think of a time when you showed perseverance?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : July 26, 2023
- Cast : Tim Blackman , Yamaguchi Mitsuko , Harafuji Keizō
- Director : Hyoe Yamamoto
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : History
- Character Strengths : Perseverance
- Run time : 82 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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