His Three Daughters

Sitting in on a loved one's death watch can be a trying time in more ways than one can count, circumstances that many of us can probably relate to all too well. It can be an especially stressful, even hostile, experience when incompatible family members are brought together for such an ordeal, one whose duration and developments are impossible to predict. That's the scenario here faced by three very different (and often-contentious) sisters (Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, Natasha Lyonne) who begrudgingly join together for the waning days of the life of their father (Jay O. Sanders), who has been placed in home hospice care. During this reluctant, duty-bound "reunion," tempers routinely flare in confrontations stemming from the rehashing of old, unresolved issues, disagreements about current responsibilities, and the seemingly endless waiting for the inevitable to arrive. These matters all wear on the distraught siblings as they struggle to sort out what's transpiring and try to arrive at better, more civil understandings of one another. In his latest feature outing, writer-director Azazel Jacobs has created an authentic story about what often occurs under such difficult conditions, astutely blending intense drama, scathing personal interactions, dark humor and hopes for reconciliation against a backdrop of edgy anguish, searing emotional pain and pervasive uncertainty. The picture's crisp writing and stellar performances (especially Lyonne's stand-out portrayal) drive the unfolding of this gripping domestic saga, often leaving viewers uncomfortably squirming in their seats as raw, long-repressed feelings surface. To be sure, some of the transition sequences in the narrative could use better refinement to get the overall story on track for what follows, but, then, their handling in this manner could arguably be chalked up to the ubiquitous doubt lingering over this situation, a determination that audience members will have to make for themselves. Still, "His Three Daughters" is indeed one of the better releases of 2024 thus far, one that deserves serious consideration as awards season approaches, particularly in the writing and acting categories. It's also a powerful cautionary tale for any of us who may be faced with having to undergo a scenario like this at some point, providing us with valuable insight into how we might want to conduct ourselves when these trying times arise.

I love small chamber films where the key elements are acting, the script, and masterful direction. Such films resemble theatrical plays and usually capture the viewer's attention from the very beginning, holding it until the end.

«HIS THREE DAUGHTERS» is just such a film.

This is a wonderful family drama with brilliant performances by all three main actresses. Seriously, I think they all deserve at least an Oscar nomination. They are the main reason why this movie turned out so well; their chemistry on screen is just off the charts.

Additionally, the skillfully written script, excellent dialogue, and the development of each sister make the on-screen action incredibly interesting and exciting. Each main character is completely different, with her own life and unique problems that the viewer begins to understand throughout the film. It is impossible not to sympathize with each sister; every character is well-crafted, compelling, and powerfully portrayed!

I give my highest recommendations to all lovers of chamber films and powerful acting.

8/10

P. S. Elizabeth Olsen is a Goddess!

His Three Daughters is a terrific showcase for all three of its stars with a contained story that's emotionally taxing yet still has so much warmth. It's the ideal run time that allows it to take its time without feeling too slow. There's a generally theatrical feel that comes from its focus on performances and minimal locations which is counterbalanced by how good the technical craft is in ways that are designed to go unnoticed.

Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, and Carrie Coon are all brilliant in their own way. Natasha Lyonne is initially the most laid back of the group with greater pain and anger revealing itself soon after. Carrie Coon is the most highly strung and Elizabeth Olsen has the most expressive eyes which show all of her anguish. When they argue it's gripping to watch and they're even better when they do come together.

As director, writer and editor Azazel Jacobs displays many talents at once without drawing attention to them. His editing does a great job of making the characters feel further apart than they are when they're at odds and his dialogue feels strained yet tender. Rodrigo Amarante's cinematography is gorgeous with a grain that only adds to the beauty and framing which uses the confined spaces to create memorable moments.

This a very well-scripted and executed film about an upcoming death in the family, and the abyss that it leaves.. sucking those around to the center of it, for the better.

You know exactly how it is going to end, but it is what it leaves you with that matters! And what it sets out to do, it achieves with masterful craftsmanship by everyone involved.

From giving you a believable semblance of 4 different people's lives, how it captures some gut-wrenching sentiments, pain, the interactions between the well-performed sisters, that awkward feeling of people slotting back into someone else's life, and Natasha Lyonne's stand-out character gettings some kind "redemption" in the end. I also liked the "sound of the city" in the credits.

Very enjoyable! In its own way.

I had no idea what His Three Daughters was about going into it and that's usually the way I like it. As someone who has had a parent go through the hospice care experience with two of my brothers I was pleasantly when I realized what the film was about. Some of that delight eventually faded away when I then realized that this film's depiction of hospice is not entirely accurate. Rather than an ignorance of hospice I'm guessing this misrepresentation was for dramatic effect. My issue is that I don't think the changes were necessary and things could have worked quite well with a true representation. Nevertheless the story as is mostly works. As for the performances they are mostly solid with Coon and Olsen both turning in excellent performances. As for Lyonne, she played a character a bit close to her type for me but was fine. The story does create a range of emotions for the viewer but is a rather somber experience throughout. Towards the end of the film the realism disappears as a bit of fantasy is interjected into the story which was completely unnecessary and almost derails the whole project. Despite this misstep His Three Daughters is worth checking out.