The Lost Daughter

During her vacation Leda witnessed an incident that that remembered her of her darkest moments as a mother .

It was a bit slow for me, not a lot of things happening, but it worth your time of course.

It shows how the motherhood can be one of the most beautiful and hard experiences at the same time in a woman's life.

The film's structure is remarkable especially the way they presented the present and the previous time back and forth .

What made me watch this movie while I'm late I guess is what I heard about performances, the beautiful Olivia Colman was fascinating, for Jessi Buckley I had a problem with the character itself and it's instability, but her acting was at it's finest.

Two Oscar worthy nomination for these two, playing the role of the same character in different periods of time.

Some good performances from Dakota Johnson and Ed Harris that I always appreciate his presence.

Finally, I want to say that Maggie Gyllenhaal offered us a beautiful pure drama so her Oscar nomination is deserved I suppose.

" I'm an Unnatural mother".

1. The narrative is unfocused. Two unrelated storylines are told in parallel, and the narrative is very scattered. Some characters (e.g. The local gang) are totally unnecessary.

2. Cinematography is annoying. Just too many closeups.

3. The screenplay is very pretentious. Its title and plot is misleading. Any audience would expect something to happen, yet nothing happens eventually. The title should be "The lost doll".

Greetings again from the darkness. There are so many things that go unspoken about parenting, and first time writer-director Maggie Gyllenhaal specifically focuses her lens on the pressures of motherhood, by adapting the 2006 novel from the anonymous and talented and mysterious Italian writer Elena Ferrante. Of course, we are all aware of Ms. Gyllenhaal's fine work as an actor, yet it's almost beyond belief that this is her debut as a feature film director. The source material is strong, but Ms. Gyllenhaal, along with a terrific performance from Olivia Colman (Oscar winner, THE FAVOURITE, 2018), turn a coastline vacation into a mesmerizing psychological case study.

Ms. Colman proves yet again what a fine and versatile actor she is. Here she plays Leda, a divorced professor on solo holiday on a picturesque Greek island, staying in a refurbished lighthouse tended by longtime caretaker Lyle (Ed Harris). Leda is packing a satchel full of books and academia work, and is a bit perturbed when her isolated beach time is suddenly interrupted by a large and noisy family of vacationers from Queens. Being an observant loner, Leda eyes young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson) who is struggling with her daughter, as well as her husband and other family members. This triggers memories in Leda that are handled via flashbacks with a terrific Jessie Buckley (I'M THINKING OF ENDING THINGS, 2020) as young Leda, stressed out wife and mother to two daughters. She longs for her own space.

At face value, this appears to be a movie about a woman annoyed that she can't just enjoy a quiet holiday on the sandy beach as she reads her books. However, there are so many layers to the story and to Leda, that as viewers, we must remain on high alert to pick up all the queues and subtleties. Watching Nina with her daughter and husband sends Leda deep into her past ... a past that still haunts her to this day. At the same time, while gazing at Leda, Nina can't help but wonder if she is looking at her own future self.

Much of what we see (past and present) reinforces the isolation and frustration felt by so many mothers. It has nothing to do with loving one's kids, but rather maintaining one's sanity and self-being. There are a few key moments, including one that creates tension between Leda and the vacationing family, and another that immediately connects the two. Leda's past includes steps that would be considered taboo for any wife and mother, and the symmetry of her past and Nina's present are striking.

Peter Sarsgaard (director Gyllenhaal's real life husband) has a supporting role in the flashbacks, while Dagmara Dominczyk plays a critical role as Callie, part of Nina's large family. Bonus points are won with a Leonard Cohen reference (that may or may not be true), and also playing key roles here are a missing doll (connecting Leda's past and present) and the proper way to peel an orange. Cinematographer Helene Louvart works wonders balancing the beautiful setting with the not-always-beautiful actions of the characters. Especially potent here is the performance of Olivia Colman, who proves she can play most any role. It's also remarkable what first time director Maggie Gyllenhaal has accomplished here. This is a multi-layered, nuanced look at how relentless parenting can often feel overwhelming and may even lead to feelings of guilt later in life. It's rare to see such a raw look at the emotions behind what is often referred to as the joy of motherhood. The film leaves little doubt that the always-dependable actor Maggie Gyllenhaal is now one of the most interesting new filmmakers on the scene.

In select theaters on December 17, 2021 and on Netflix beginning December 31, 2021.

I learned of Olivia Colman when she played Queen Anne in "The Favorite" (and won an Oscar for the role). I later saw her on "Broadchurch", as well as seasons three and four of "The Crown". She also provided one of the voices in "The Mitchells vs. The Machines".

But now we have Ms. Colman in an intense role. She plays a woman on vacation in Greece whose stay is overshadowed by memories of the daughters whom she abandoned. "The Lost Daughter" both casts doubt on the supposed happiness of family life, and the presumed pleasantness of tourism, with the protagonist's mental state deteriorating as the movie progresses. Jessie Buckley as the protagonist's younger self is equally intense, almost as much as her character in "I'm Thinking of Ending Things".

Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut is a fine one. I wouldn't call it a masterpiece - and it certainly won't be for everyone - but it's not a movie that you're likely to forget any time soon. Both Colman and Buckley received Academy Award nominations for their roles, with excellent support coming from Ed Harris, Dakota Johnson, Dagmara Dominczyk (Karolina on "Succession"), Paul Mescal and Peter Sarsgaard.

..., the previous review is from another movie! !!! Not THE LOST DAUGHTER!

Where to start, I liked the movie. It has the quality to keep you going until the end, due to the tension and creativity of the theme. I have decided to write a somewhat simple review, and nothing deep, I can go on and on..

The most important thing about the film, in my opinion, are the different types of people who participate in this story and therefore personalities, they could have been given more attention and studied more deeply in the film.

Olivia Colman, always great! And Leda in the movie, did not seem awkward to me at first, but she is a woman who does not accept injustice and speaks and protests when many do not dare, she is sincere with herself. Having said this, later the story changes and she has to do something to cope with her own sadness. Yes, it is true that she has also committed an injustice as well, and that makes her even more interesting.

To be honest I have never seen children so spoiled, annoying and whiny, and I know many at this age. I found this portrayal of children somewhat dramatic, and if you pamper them and give them everything from the beginning they will become little devils, it is a fact!!.

A lot of what happens in this movie is because of this children and their attitude towards their parents!! So.. you lose your play doll and just turn everything into a drama? This parents are weak and should act differently in this case.

I have always loved the actor Ed Harris, Lyle in the film, although I would have liked his character to have been more studied, it would make the story more interesting.

I liked the actors and the atmosphere in Greece, really beautiful and it all looks and feels very realistic to me.

Why do we always have expectations? I know it's hard not to have them, but it's just a movie. Do not have expectations and you will lik it more!!

I recommend it!