The Lost Daughter | Film Review

I had heard a bit about this film before actually seeing it. The response has been really positive, which only made me want to see it more. 

A college professor (Olivia Colman) becomes obsessed with a woman and her daughter while on holiday, leading her to confront painful memories.

This is the kind of film that I can acknowledge is good, without personally loving it.

There is an underlying tension throughout this story that makes every scene feel a bit uncomfortable. As the viewer, you are always on edge.

Leda (Colman) is such an interesting character. At first, she just seems a bit odd, and maybe a bit nosy. But as time goes on and we see the flashbacks of her life, we truly understand just how complicated Leda is. She's not a likeable character by any means (actually, there might not be one likeable character in the film), but it felt important that she wasn't.

The story in itself is so intriguing. You don't want to miss a single frame from beginning to end.

The other actors in the film include Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Peter Saarsgard, Ed Harris, Dogmara Dominczyk and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, which is an incredible group of actors! They were all amazing in their respective roles, and really helped the story come together.

The film uses sound really effectively, particularly the sound of the foghorn, which provides an instant injection of sinister energy.

The film is a slow burn. One that you kind of have to be in the mood for before you see it. It didn't always hold my attention, and I often felt like some of the scenes didn't need to be elongated for as long as they were. Having said that, the majority of what's in the film was completely necessary to include.

For me, where my mixed feelings come in is that it felt like there was no payoff for all of the stress and tension that the film builds. When the film finishes, you still feel on edge and uncomfortable because you're waiting for something to happen, and then nothing really does.

Overall, this film has a lot to say about children and motherhood, and it really makes you think. For me, I liked the themes and concept more than I did the actual film.

6/10