This Must Be the Place (2011)

This Must Be the Place (2011), an Italian-French-Irish drama directed and written by Paolo Sorrentino and Umberto Contarello respectively, tells the story of Cheyenne. The former wealthy rock star has been living a mundane and uninspired life in Dublin for the past two decades. His retirement was prompted by the tragic suicides of two of his teenage fans. Seeking some sort of redemption, he makes the journey to New York to make amends with his dying father, only to arrive too late. His justification for not being in contact for 30 years was due to his father’s rejection when he began experimenting with goth make-up at the age of 15. In reading his father’s diary, he discovers that his father was a survivor of Auschwitz who suffered under the hands of Alois Lange, a former SS officer.

Desperate for justice, Cheyenne turns to Mordecai Midler, a professional Nazi hunter, who reveals that Lange is not as significant as he had hoped. Cheyenne embarks on a journey throughout the United States in search of Lange. Along the way, he encounters several people connected to Lange: his wife, his granddaughter, and a businessman. Needing protection, Cheyenne purchases a large gun from a local shop. During his visit, an onlooker shares their thoughts on a particular type of pistol that allows for easy killing and how it can lead one to become a monster. Eventually, with the help of Mordecai, Cheyenne is able to locate Lange, who has since lost his vision. To Cheyenne’s surprise, Lange reveals that he has been receiving mail from Cheyenne’s father for many years.