The Kidnapping of Arabella: LFF Film Review

As humorous as it is sad, The Kidnapping of Arabella is a touching tale of childhood, friendship, and second chances.

The two embark on a journey that sees them face multiple adventures, escaping both the police and Arabella’s father (Chris Pine), who are looking for the missing child. 

The Kidnapping of Arabella (Il Rapimento di Arabella) uses magical realism excellently to reflect on the very real themes of friendship and loneliness. Through the eyes of the protagonists, director and writer Carolina Cavalli takes the audience into a whole new world that’s not so dissimilar to our own, and encourages them to reflect on one question: if we could go back to a defining moment in our past, would we change it? The very premise of the movie also feels quite original and new. While we may be used to films where the protagonists meet an older version of themselves coming from the future, Holly is convinced she has encountered her younger self from the past, which adds an element of novelty to the story. 

With Arabella, Holly sees a chance to rectify what she perceives to be the biggest mistake of her past. It may seem surreal, but the idea of wanting to fix the errors of the past is not so far-fetched after all: wouldn’t we all want to go back to the past and get a second chance at doing things right? The Kidnapping of Arabella acknowledges that while this might be a nice idea, we only get one shot at life. The film encourages us, and its protagonist Holly, to live our lives fully in the present rather than constantly considering how different it may look like if we had made different choices. 

The acting is excellent. Benedetta Porcaroli embraces the surreal parts of the dialogue and manages to deliver them with an effortless and, at times, humorous tone. Chris Pine is a natural at acting in a language that is not his mother tongue, and the conflicting but loving relationship between his character and Arabella is well delivered and palpable from the very first scene. Lucrezia Guglielmino also does a fantastic job at portraying the titular character, delivering both the funny and more emotional aspects of Arabella’s character and background. 

The balance between humour and sadness is one of the most fascinating elements of The Kidnapping of Arabella. Thanks to its clever script and wonderful performances, the film will have its audience laugh out loud and tear up within the same scene, as we also join the characters in their journey of self-discovery. Despite their differences, Holly and Arabella both manage to find something they desperately needed by the time the movie ends, even if this may not necessarily be what they had imagined. Their physical journey through the country mirrors the psychological growth of the characters, who both discover new elements about themselves through each other’s company and friendship. 

While I loved seeing Chris Pine in this role, he is featured too much in the second part of the film. The Kidnapping of Arabella is stronger when it focuses on Holly and Arabella’s journey and becomes significantly weaker when the narrative takes us back to Arabella’s father and his efforts to find her, along with the local police. Admittedly, there is nothing wrong with this secondary plotline, but it invariably takes time away from the main story and ends up feeling like a B-roll narrative that’s far less interesting and captivating.

Overall, The Kidnapping of Arabella is a sweet and touching film that fans of the genre will enjoy for its use of magical realism, its balance between humour and emotional moments, and its excellent performances.

The Kidnapping of Arabella was screened at the BFI London Film Festival on 12-13 October, 2025. Read our interview with Carolina Cavalli below!