I would not have been surprised whatsoever if I had been told that Vanished Into the Night was a true story, despite the ludicrous twist. The Italian movie indicates a societal problem today, and the ending puts that problem on steroids.
Vanished Into the Night Is Inspired by Incentivised Divorce Cases
While it seems evident that this thriller movie is making a point about divorce cases, it must be said that it’s not far from reality. As HuffPost says, “Almost one in every two marriages ends in divorce these days, and most of those divorces turn ugly.” I don’t think no-fault divorces help, as they merely encourage a lack of commitment simply by not being happy. The incentive is far too weighted to the more resentful partner.
In the case of Vanished Into the Night, Elena wanted a new life with the money she inherited from the divorce. For whatever reason, she wanted her children alienated from their father, Pietro. I suppose we could assume why she tried to leave the country and take full custody of the children: resentment? Bad parenting? The new man that could offer a better family spirit and provide?
The reason hardly matters, but viewers may believe it’s a true story because we always hear about ugly divorce cases.
Elena (Annabelle Wallis) was incentivized by the divorce blueprint in ‘Vanished Into the Night’ (Credit – Netflix)
The influence of divorce lawyers is the driving force of the movie
The movie’s beginning hints at the incentive of divorce lawyers to destroy the other ex-spouse’s financial and parental claim. The more successful you are as a divorce lawyer, the more cash and clients you gain.
Elena is apologetic about how her lawyer treats her ex, Pietro, but he rightfully responds that it is the norm. At the beginning of the film, he projects his future.
However, the influence does not stop there. Imagine you felt wronged in a long-term marriage; a person you had supported for years, provided with children, and spent most of your time with. Imagine feeling let down now that phase of your long life is over. And a lawyer tells you you can have full custody of your children and overwhelming financial support, too?
I find it strange when people say they wouldn’t allow a divorce lawyer to do that to their ex-partner, but reality differs from fantasy. There’s a reason why the mood changes as soon as a lawyer is involved. It goes from emotional to pure practicality and coldness.
In Vanished Into the Night, Elena was given the blueprint for having her children in sole custody and with the location of her choice in New York. She just went to extreme measures to make that happen. Marriage Story has a similar narrative outcome, but it is less crazy and without any criminal activity involved.
Of course, I’d be crazy to suggest that Vanished Into the Night is the best case study to highlight the problem with incentivized divorces, but that’s what the movie is hinting at. While it isn’t a true story, it is true of where we’ve taken society: a culture that puts too much weight on the importance of family and marriage will come with abusive practices. A culture that puts too much weight on incentivizing the breaking of the family home will also come with abusive practices. That’s where we are now, as we have failed to land in the middle of two opposing ideologies.
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