I wanted to love it but I agree with others that the writing and editing/pacing did not work for me. Stellar performances from a powerhouse cast weren't enough to make me give a shit about whatever the story was trying to say. I like slow burns, I like character pieces, I like messy people, but somehow all of these elements never gelled together for me in this film.
As a childless male I am unqualified to comment directly on the subject matter, but here are some high-level general thoughts:
Maggie Gyllenhall's debut film, features Olivia Colman in yet another exceptional work. The movie delivers a complexity by addressing the feminine and women's guilt for the choices between personal life and motherhood.
So there's.... some mothers on a holiday, somewhere in Greece? I guess? Certain shots/settings kinda reminded me of a few Poirot episodes with David Suchet, which is weird since those are set in the 30s. But other than that... I'm actually not even sure I recall any particularly nice scenic shot. And the rest? Just... I don't know. A few puzzle pieces that never really get together into an actual picture, there's little to no cohesion to whatever story there's supposed to be in this. And for that, it's also too long. Looks like a common theme in 2021 movies. Shame though, because there are quite a few great names in the cast; but I had a hard time even trying to keep up with who's who in terms of the characters, amidst all the flashbacks.
Might be the book's a lot better, should probably read that - can't be much worse, at any rate.
I found this to be incredibly unsettling and unnerving. I wanted to shake these characters from start to finish, nothing they did made any sense to me. However, I do think that’s exactly the direction the film was going for, so it’s successful in that sense.
I couldn’t settle on a score for this because i didn’t exactly like it but I can recognise its merits.
The pseudo documentary style serves an intelligent story pretty badly. Colman’s character isn’t likeable (she’s often impossible to understand) which is in itself fine but the eventual payoff is a long time coming and we’re expected to be extremely patient with almost nothing happening in the meantime.
This was worth a watch but I probably wouldn't watch again. The themes explored are important but the film is a bit slow without a strong narrative. It's great to give voice to mothers who resent motherhood though. I might check out the book.
solid and enjoyable for the excellent cast, but it isn't the sort of movie with a very clear or gripping storyline. i think a lot of books with very meandering plots end up being adapted into films when their themes just work better on paper.
What a very long winded way of saying "sometimes people aren't the idyllic norms that society has deemed of certain roles".
I think the problem with something like this is that once the message has been telegraphed, there's not much to build on from that. Yes, Leda does not revel in the wonders of motherhood, and even hates certain aspects of it, but what does that say about her as a person? The movie seems daring enough to ask the question, but not follow through with any kind of character building or resolution for this societally controversial stance.
There are some nice turns of metaphor, mainly the fruit and the doll being "nice" on the outside but rotten to the core, which plays right into how Leda sees herself, and how the family on the beach have something sinister under the "perfect" exterior. These metaphors aren't enough to elevate the absolute slog that his movie becomes after the first hour.
Colman and Buckley really carry this movie, but the performances are hindered by the very limited scope of the script and screenplay. I also found some of the camera work, editing and scene compositions a little basic and clumsy, especially considering they had the beauty of the Greek coast to work with.
Watching this straight after Red Rocket, which shows you can portray off-piste characters with a level of empathy and truth, really was the worst case scenario for The Lost Daughter. I feel it has so much to say, but is too scared to say it and follow through with the consequence. Then again, I am a single male in the dying days of his 20's, so maybe I just didn't get the nuance on show here because I can never experience what these people are going through.
Poor showing, I'd probably only recommend this if you must watch all the movies up for award contention this year.
i'm sorry, but too much wasted potential. i mean look at that cast! A+ stars appearing for 2min in a boring film. I think the story was just too ambitious for Maggie's first time, the movie is just bad for 1h and half and then attempts to add dept into it but it doesn't work.
Apart from Olivia and Jessie, the whole cast was wasted specially Dakota who tries sooooo hard in this film, it's one of her best performances but too bad the movie is bland and empty and just boring.
Yeah motherhood can be a fucking nightmare and the troubles with it deserve a better exploration than that of this movie attempts to do.
The story was just okay but it’s Colman who lifts this movie above an average rating.
And what was the point of this film, 2 hours of nothing … if this is the level of film that Olivia Colman has to subject herself too I wouldn’t bother making anymore without reading the scripts first .. this film is just awful and is as bad as they gets.
One of the most boring movies I've seen this year. Such a waste of time.:wastebasket::poop::face_with_symbols_over_mouth:
While watching this film I couldn't help but think of Gyllenhaal's character in the (extremely underrated) show "The Deuce". In that show she was a prostitute-turned-director and in many of the scenes in the movie had to do with the idea of how different film would be if made by a woman. I know that the show was fiction but I couldn't help but think back to that idea. This film starred women and seemed to have a very different feel to it than most movies that I've seen. It helps that the three leads are amazing - Colman is her usual stellar self and Buckley has cemented her place as a top actor. But beyond all of that this film really resonated with me in that I am a parent of three children and at times I feel exactly as they do. I feel overwhelmed and (worse) I feel like I have lost a piece of myself. It really is a fantastic movie.
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Meh. Slow and never gets going. Uncomfortably odd in places. Not sure they quite pulled off what they intended.
I added this to my "phucked up kids" list because, despite the premise implying the mothers are awful, THEIR KIDS WERE THE WORST.
Oh yea, and it's a good film.
This movie never peaked
The acting of what little story there is is good but the problem of this 2h (!) movie is that it never peaks. A good story should have an introduction, a peak and its conclusion but this story is just flatlined. There is no real interesting plotline and no dramaturgy at all. And to strengthen this argument: I like slow burners but this one isn’t even lit…
An intruigung film, with impeccable direction, great performances and a thoroughly captivating and perfectly-unfolding plot, depicting a woman's struggle with motherhood, and her journey of redemption.
One of the most boring movies I have ever seen. Don't waste your time!
I don’t get what people saw in this long, boring, weird, movie. Great performances though. https://boxd.it/2GCvZf
Gave it about 10 minutes, shoulda pulled the plug before that. 0/10
If it wasn't for Olivia, this would have been unwatchable.
Note to self: Always use condoms.
could not get Into it turned it off after 20 mins boringgggg
OLIVIA COLMAN. JESSIE PLEMONS. DAKOTA JOHNSON.
this is my favorite kind of movie: carried by great actresses. i loved it.
An incredibly boring and pointless movie. The flashbacks made me think something notable would happen, but nothing ever did. It was redeemed somewhat by great acting and a stylish presentation, but still disappointing.
Never watch again. Just too weird.
Not for me. Another film on Netflix that disappoints.
A solid directorial debut that offers a suggestive look at motherhood and guilt, built on a puzzle structure that slowly unravels the characters' secrets. It is a complex look at the psychology of mothers and the decisions of life, which Gyllenhaal transfers with talent, with the intelligence that maintains constant tension, one step ahead of what the viewer expects. And that is surrounded by an impeccable casting.
Really slow moving film which did not bother me though. Actually I really like those. Olivia Colman‘s performance is fabulous to watch as always.
How has this gotten a 50% rating? Looks amazing; leading Gotham Awards (best picture+); and hasn't yet been released? I can't wait to watch yet another Olivia Colman master work. It looks like Maggie Gyllenhaal nails the Director's chair. A+
There's a lot underneath the surface here. If you're not looking for messaging and themes, they're going to pass you by. I'll admit that you need to commit to this or else you're going to be quite bored. But if you do there are some nuanced performances that tap into the struggles of balancing love, children, a career, desires, and a sense of self. The reflective moments that are not simply reflections of guilt but an unpacking of struggling with past life decisions give layers to pull apart. I ultimately appreciated this film, but it was at times a slow affair.
Shout by Angélica CostaBlockedParent2021-12-31T20:53:20Z
Oh fuck. I need two hours back. Olivia could play a cucumber, but the story has no point. The trailer shows us one thing and we get a whole different movie.
The weird family, the flashbacks, the story is there, but it was so poorly edited/written.