A One Mann’s Movies review of “The Lost Daughter” (2021).
Another ‘catch-up’ movie for me on Netflix is Olivia Colman in “The Lost Daughter”, the directorial debut of Maggie Gyllenhaal. And, for the second film running, after “The Power of the Dog“, it has a wholly unlikeable character at its heart.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
Plot Summary:
University professor Leda (Olivia Colman) is having a delightful working holiday at a Greek resort when her peace is shattered by a raucous family from New York. It’s made clear to Leda that the family are not to be messed with, but she does anyway. The relationship between a mother in the party, Nina (Dakota Johnson), and her daughter send Leda on a mental tumble back through her past dealings with her own daughters. She describes parenting as a “crushing responsibility”, but was she a responsible parent?
Certification:
Talent:
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, Peter Sarsgaard, Paul Mescal, Jack Farthing.
Directed by: Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Written by: Maggie Gyllenhaal. (Based on the novel by Elena Ferrante).
“The Lost Daughter” Review:
Positives:
- When leaving the cinema from “Nightmare Alley” I heard one older bloke say to his wife “I didn’t understand a bloody word of that!”. Well, all I can say is “Good Luck with ‘The Lost Child'”! I’d heard comment that viewers of this movie have been left with completely different perspectives on what happened and how it ends. And I can now understand why. It’s a bamboozling narrative that leaves you grasping for the meaning behind the actions. In a number of places, you feel that Leda acts as an ‘unreliable narrator’: due to her mental state teetering on a cliff edge. (At one point, I questioned whether her daughters were both still alive). This makes for a challenging watch and there are too few of those around to not recognize this as a “positive”.
- If it was Gyllenhaal’s goal to make you feel ‘uneasy’ for the majority of the film’s running time, then she succeeded with flying colours. Much of this unease revolves around a missing doll.
- Olivia Colman is as excellent as you expect her to be, but it’s still a shock to find her portraying someone so dislikable. Jessie Buckley, as the younger Leda, is also brilliant in reflecting the mannerisms and (at times) speech patterns of Colman. The two actresses look completely different, but you are left with the belief that they are the same character.
- Great to see Ed Harris on the big screen at any time. The man acts most of the time by saying nothing at all.
Negatives:
- The movie generates more questions than answers. Was Leda behind the disappearance? What happened with ‘the fir cone’? In particular, the ending is both abrupt and ambiguous. You have as many questions about ‘what happens next’ as in the cliffhanger from “The Italian Job”. It wasn’t a satisfying ending for me and I can see that many will be outraged by it (the bloke from Cineworld for example!)
- As for Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Power of the Dog“, the Colman/Buckley character is so selfish, mean and cold-hearted (despite outward appearances) that it’s impossible to ‘root’ for her. As such, despite my generally positive rating, this is not a movie I would ever choose to watch again.
Summary Thoughts on “The Lost Daughter”
Ask for my list of top-tier British actresses of the day and both Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley would be on it. Throw in Ed Harris and you have an acting masterclass. The movie is great in showcasing their talents. And Maggie Gyllenhaal’s script and direction is nothing if not thought-provoking. But it’s not a comfortable watch, making me cross and frustrated with the characters you have spent two hours following on the screen.
Trailer for “The Lost Daughter”
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNq9YOfL0Zs .
