Hot Milk

A young woman and her wheelchair bound mother travel to Spain to seek treatment for the mother's possibly psychosomatic condition. Whilst there the daughter meets and starts a lesbian relationship with another young woman. Writer/director Rebecca Lenkiewicz's 2024 feature film adaptation of Deborah Levy's novel is, one assumes, a partly symbolic relationship drama about families and memories and the marks they leave, both physical and otherwise. An Anglo/Greek co-production with Greece standing in for Spain, it's a fairly restrained drama about coping with pain and loss, and forms of entrapment, with it's share of physical manifestations - wheelchairs, jellyfish marks. Although not too bad it could be a hard sell to a mass audience.

This film hit a nerve.

It's not about explosive drama, it's about the quiet, suffocating violence of emotional entanglement: love laced with dependency, boundaries blurred. The daughter is stuck in a role she never chose, blamed for not doing enough, while slowly disappearing in the process.

The constant reaching for water feels symbolic, an effort to swallow discomfort, avoid truth, dilute tension. Conversations dissolve, emotions go undigested.

Visually stunning in its discomfort: blinding brightness clashes with sudden darkness. You're never quite at ease, and that's the point.

And then, unexpectedly, some moments are... funny? Not laugh-out-loud, but absurd in a way that's either painfully relatable or too surreal to take seriously. You're not always sure if the humor is intentional - which somehow makes it even better. Like dissociation in cinematic form.

Maybe too niche or emotionally raw for some. But if you know this kind of silence, the kind that weighs more than words, this film will find you.

Hot Milk is a film that truly shines when it comes to its visual storytelling. The cinematography is one of its strongest assets, with a variety of creative shots and angles that draw the viewer in and create a unique atmosphere throughout. While the storyline can be a bit odd and at times even confusing, the film's visuals do a lot to clarify the emotions and themes at play. The director's use of imagery often speaks louder than the dialogue, making the film feel more like an experience than a straightforward narrative. Although the plot sometimes meanders and leaves questions unanswered, the strong visual direction keeps things interesting and engaging. The performances are solid, and the mood is consistently intriguing, even if the story doesn't always make perfect sense. Overall, Hot Milk is a film that's worth watching for its artistic approach and memorable style, earning a solid 7 out of 10 stars.

Actually not really - it is however the title of this movie and the book it is based on ... so no pun intended as always. Hot ... stuff maybe? Well I'll go into that a bit later, but I am not sure you could use that term either. I did not know the book before watching the movie (still haven't read it, but am aware of it now obviously). So take what I write with that in mind (especially if you have read it).

What you might know then: the movie will be about a young woman and her mother - and finding her role ... not just in their relationship, but in society ... when should we let go? Continue to roll on with life? And can we move ... on? No pun intended with this either (again not sure how the book ends, but the movie ... well you won't forget that for sure).

So while she is looking for her identity (amongst other things, like her father, her sexuality and so forth) ... she gets to know a German woman ... now there is nudity in this movie. But if this is a make or break thing for you: there is really not much of it here. And I have to say this is one of the things I do not like - when movies do that. The whole holding the sheet as if their life depended on it - than "choreograph" holding hands and arms to cover up ... the upper body. Now I understand there is vulnerability - but for crying out loud: wear a shirt or a bra! There is not even a reason (as in character development or issue) that would warrant that thing that kind of took me out of the movie.

Now as you can tell it wasn't to a degree that I couldn't like the movie. The acting in this is superb (the things above not taken into account) - the pacing might be more of a problem for some people ... and that there does not seem to be a specific goal .. something we work towards ... or walk towards ... how far will it go? Well ... society will judge (and you too ... probably)

I was enticed to see this film because I saw the cast and read the synopsis, and i knew it was based upon the book with the same title. I should note that I've not read said book, but others by the author, and greatly appreciate her style, and her ability to create vivid characters and explore complex relationships/human emotions.

The reviews I glanced at prior to going in were pretty negative, and most seemed unimpressed. This made me a bit worried (I had invited a friend and I so hate feeling like I'm putting someone else through a bad film!), and prepared me, perhaps, to be disappointed by a film I had been positively anticipating.

However, Hot Milk oozes atmosphere, and the performances were excellent. I don't understand how a film with this level of acting and cinematography (even if the story itself isn't to someone's taste) can be given a score below 5/10?!?!? Fiona Shaw is outstanding at embodying a deeply damaged, infuriating, and toxic mother/woman. Whilst Emma Mackey nails her role as the pent up, understandably resentful, manipulated young women, who is stiffled by her mother's unresolved trauma.

This is a film that made me feel a lot. It had themes that resonated, and I felt the intensity that Lenkiewicz's directing and writing conjured up.

I understand that this is not going to appeal to those who like a film that has a story with a clear trajectory set out. This film does require patience and concentration and openness. But it rewards those who emotionally invest and commit (I think, anyway!?). I hope more people give this a chance and ignore the critics. I think it will be elevated in estimation when it's audience find it. I hope so.