The Lost Daughter (2021)

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1. 

   Siskoid

   Olivia Coleman has the worst vacation ever in The Lost Daughter and I'm there for it. You know when you're trying to have a quiet time on a Greek island and a noisy family from Queens shows up to ruin it? Not that we can lay it singly at their feet. Coleman's character Leda is riddled with guilt over being a bad mom, guilt exposed by events surrounding the family's difficult little girl. What Maggie Gyllenhall has woven here is a deeply textured psychological study about motherhood, failure, jealousy (often manifested as hatred of youth), selfishness, and love, Coleman navigating those heady waters with her usual sensitivity and disarming charm. The MVP, however, is Jessie Buckley (who you might remember from I'm Thinking of Ending Things) as the younger Leda who actually has to incarnate the moments that haunt her older self. Lyrical editing and a leisurely pace put us in mind of vacation days, but the metaphors slowly but surely tease the underlying darkness. Sometimes, you should probably stay home, but what won't you learn if you do? 2 years 7 months ago
2. 

   devilsadvocado

   I agree with other reviewers (in different forums) who commented that the dialogue, as written, was spotty but the acting is so good it nearly covers it up. And it's not just the acting, the story is enthralling even if some of the scenes and plot points feel amiss.
   
   Maggie Gyllenhaal may not have much experience as a director, and it does show in spots, but you can feel that this was her story to tell and that she had a strong emotional connection to the subject matter (she's also a career-focused mother of two girls). My gut reaction was to scoff when I saw that she cast her own husband as "the other man" but actually Peter Sarsgaard was perfect for this supporting role and he played it brilliantly. 2 years 8 months ago
3. 

   boulderman

   Interesting. I watched The Nest the day prior and felt parallels. Good film 2 years 7 months ago

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