Movie Reviews

‘The Lost Daughter’ Review – Honestly Explores The Female Experience and Motherhood, Void of Any Shame

Synopsis:

Alone on a seaside vacation, Leda (Olivia Colman) becomes consumed with a young mother and daughter as she watches them on the beach. Unnerved by their compelling relationship, (and their raucous and menacing extended family), Leda is overwhelmed by her own memories of the terror, confusion and intensity of early motherhood. An impulsive act shocks Leda into the strange and ominous world of her own mind, where she is forced to face the unconventional choices she made as a young mother and their consequences. This is Maggie Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante.

Life is abundantly more nuanced than we’d like to admit. Unfortunately, we love to put things in broad categories and view the world through black and white lenses. This far into human existence, you’d think we’d be more evolved. Most things are not as simple as, that’s a big object and that’s a small object. The object has a color, shape, smell, texture, and weight, among other things. Nothing can be defined by one singular definition. Nevertheless, I do believe the majority of us want to enjoy our time here, cherish the beauty, and learn along the way. So, if you haven’t, find the grey and live in it, it takes some getting used to but everyone is welcome.

“You’ll find it.”

How honest are you about the way you feel about things? We tend to be so afraid to say how we really feel about certain things when in reality, most of us probably feel the same way. The Lost Daughter honestly explores the female experience and motherhood, void of any shame. Set in Italy, seaside, where a lighthouse has a room available for rent, Leda is on a solo vacation where eventually she is forced to relive her past and face her demons. Based on a novel of the same name, this film is the directorial debut of Maggie Gyllenhaal. What initially felt like a lean towards an ethereal piece of rediscovery and exploration, the narrative slowly turns into an anxious, introspective, thriller-like drama. Delving into the turbulent life and psyche of a woman who forgot, she quickly becomes enamored with a vacationing family and puts herself in the middle of their drama, while also creating more. As Leda begins to recall her own time as a young mother, the film highlights the intimate moments of joy and struggle of motherhood while in the throes of a budding career. It discusses the hardships and openly says, I may not be built to be a mother. It screams, this is difficult and I want my freedom back and that aspect of being a mom is rarely discussed openly.

We all know that most of the parental duties fall on the woman, it’s just a fact. Therefore, we think that every woman is or wants to be motherly or has desires to bear children, and that’s just not the case. Moreover, society demonizes women for not wanting a family or makes them feel as if they have to quiet their grievances if they do have one. It’s not realistic nor is it fair. As the story gets more intense and more intimate, it unabashedly touts its doubts and concerns for us to ponder on. The film keeps you guessing as to what exactly is going to happen next with its mysteriousness as peace always seems to allude Leda. The closer Leda gets to Nina and her family, the more complicated her life gets. It is beautifully and intimately shot, the score is serine and at times unsettling, and it is well written. If you’re a fan of the book, it does differ in many ways. I really enjoyed The Lost Daughter, the amazing performances, what I learned, and everything it has to offer. Its rewatchability is medium-high.

THE LOST DAUGHTER: OLIVIA COLMAN as LEDA. CR: YANNIS DRAKOULIDIS/NETFLIX © 2021.

THE LOST DAUGHTER. (L-R) DAKOTA JOHNSON as NINA, ATHENA MARTIN as ELENA. CR: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Pacing & Pop

The film has somewhat of a thriller-like pace as you constantly feel as if something dramatic is going to happen. What popped for me was the palpable tension between Leda and Nina’s family. Every interaction leads to a more interesting story.

THE LOST DAUGHTER. JESSIE BUCKLEY as YOUNG LEDA. CR. YANNIS DRAKOULIDIS/NETFLIX

THE LOST DAUGHTER. OLIVIA COLMAN as LEDA. CR: COURTESY OF NETFLIX

Characters & Chemistry

Starring: Olivia Colman (Leda), Dakota Johnson (Nina), Jessie Buckley (Young Leda), Ed Harris (Lyle), Peter Sarsgaard (Professor Hardy), Paul Mescal (Will), Dagmara Dominczyk (Callie), Alba Rohrwacher (Female Hiker), Jack Farthing (Joe), Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Toni), Panos Koronis (Vassili), Robyn Elwell (Bianca), Ellie Blake (Martha), Athena Martin (Elena)

It’s no secret that Olivia Colman is a top-five actress and once again, she demonstrates why. As Leda, she delivers a highly anxious, tense, and awkward performance. Rivaling her performance is that Jessie Buckley as Young Leda. Buckley as the young and driven Leda is charming, indecisive, and completely conflicted. Her chemistry with Professor Hardy (Peter Sarsgaard) is a hot wave of passion that crashes hard. However, the best chemistry is that of Colman’s Leda and Nina (Dakota Johnson). The fact that you can never quite get a read on their interactions makes the story increasingly tense and thrilling.

The Lost Daughter is now streaming on Netflix as of December 31, 2021. Stay safe and enjoy.