"We are obliged to do so many stupid things. From childhood even."
Alone on a seaside vacation, Leda becomes consumed with a young mother and daughter as she watches them on the beach. Unnerved by their compelling relationship, 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. The Lost Daughter is Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial and screenwriting debut. At the Venice Film Festival, she won the Golden Osella for her writing on this feature. Even with the star talent and Maggie's debut, I was weary about this for quite some time. Once her big award was settled and the rave reviews came in, I wanted to watch this as soon as possible. I can confirm that The Lost Daughter is a hauntingly beautiful film. This story can be difficult to unfold. The more we learn about Leda, the less confident we feel for her and the outcome of this particular juncture. Obviously, the writing on this is really thought out and thought provoking. It shines through as some of the year's best with monologues and words alone that burn into your mind. Almost outshining the writing is the direction. Maggie Gyllenhaal does a superb job directing this. The connection to motherhood is portrayed and felt in such a personal way. Clearly, there's passion behind this project and it's easy to see and feel. There may be times where the first time choices and techniques are evident. And it does try to avoid certain tropes but doesn't quite manage to leave them all behind. Even so, this is some marvelous work.
Leda is such an intriguing character that I can't quite wrap my mind around. She's deeply troubled and this sudden and unexpected PTSD sinking in over this relaxing holiday puts her into turmoil. Olivia Colman gives a subtle yet explosive performance. She's brilliant in everything she does and is a guaranteed lock for a nomination this year. Somehow she never misses a mark in every role given. Playing her younger self is Jessie Buckley. Even with less screen time, she manages to make a mark and give quite a performance in a few scenes. They're two different versions of Leda in two different times, but they fit those pieces together to create a fully fleshed out character. Dakota Johnson plays yet another interesting character. Just like Leda, she's hard to gauge. It only makes sense since she triggers Leda's downfall over this short period of time. Johnson gives a great performance that needs more recognition. I'm a year with so many notable supporting actress performances, it's easy to lose the ones that aren't super showy. The cinematography and score look and sound good. With cutting back and forth from present to past, it flows well. There are bouts of dragging on, but the payoff is worth it. I know that general audiences have been conflicted with this film. It's difficult to watch in a way that's hard to explain. I can't imagine how challenging of a novel this is. But it's that challenge that make The Lost Daughter worth your time. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the only one who could've done such a project and I hope she continues on this path.
Alone on a seaside vacation, Leda becomes consumed with a young mother and daughter as she watches them on the beach. Unnerved by their compelling relationship, 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. The Lost Daughter is Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial and screenwriting debut. At the Venice Film Festival, she won the Golden Osella for her writing on this feature. Even with the star talent and Maggie's debut, I was weary about this for quite some time. Once her big award was settled and the rave reviews came in, I wanted to watch this as soon as possible. I can confirm that The Lost Daughter is a hauntingly beautiful film. This story can be difficult to unfold. The more we learn about Leda, the less confident we feel for her and the outcome of this particular juncture. Obviously, the writing on this is really thought out and thought provoking. It shines through as some of the year's best with monologues and words alone that burn into your mind. Almost outshining the writing is the direction. Maggie Gyllenhaal does a superb job directing this. The connection to motherhood is portrayed and felt in such a personal way. Clearly, there's passion behind this project and it's easy to see and feel. There may be times where the first time choices and techniques are evident. And it does try to avoid certain tropes but doesn't quite manage to leave them all behind. Even so, this is some marvelous work.
Leda is such an intriguing character that I can't quite wrap my mind around. She's deeply troubled and this sudden and unexpected PTSD sinking in over this relaxing holiday puts her into turmoil. Olivia Colman gives a subtle yet explosive performance. She's brilliant in everything she does and is a guaranteed lock for a nomination this year. Somehow she never misses a mark in every role given. Playing her younger self is Jessie Buckley. Even with less screen time, she manages to make a mark and give quite a performance in a few scenes. They're two different versions of Leda in two different times, but they fit those pieces together to create a fully fleshed out character. Dakota Johnson plays yet another interesting character. Just like Leda, she's hard to gauge. It only makes sense since she triggers Leda's downfall over this short period of time. Johnson gives a great performance that needs more recognition. I'm a year with so many notable supporting actress performances, it's easy to lose the ones that aren't super showy. The cinematography and score look and sound good. With cutting back and forth from present to past, it flows well. There are bouts of dragging on, but the payoff is worth it. I know that general audiences have been conflicted with this film. It's difficult to watch in a way that's hard to explain. I can't imagine how challenging of a novel this is. But it's that challenge that make The Lost Daughter worth your time. Maggie Gyllenhaal is the only one who could've done such a project and I hope she continues on this path.