Guest writer Katie Bienvenue has a review of The Lost Daughter, nominated for three Academy Awards.
Do you remember The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood? Do remember the part where Ashley Judd’s character up’s and leaves her family because she just can’t take everything that’s happening with her family because it’s not how she pictured her life being? Well, imagine that entire thing but in a more realistic and drawn out matter and you have half of The Lost Daughter. And well, the other half is that mother reflecting back on that time in her life as she hyper focuses on a young mother basically heading in that same direction while on vacation.
To say I was completely uncomfortable while watching this is the understatement of the century. I wanted to like it and hell, if my childhood presented differently, maybe I would have. Let’s just say my “Mommy issue triggers” were in full bloom during this entire thing that I don’t think I would be able to bring myself to watch it again. No, I think I will stick to The Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood and allow for some non-realistic-ness to poke through.
I understand the urge to have this onslaught of female characters that are much more grounded and realistic, and to have the urge to explore them. I just, after everything these last few years, am massively exhausted with it and I wish that we could have these types of dramas take a break for while. I mean, this film made me loathe Olivia Coleman… OLIVIA COLEMAN! A woman I freaking adore with every bone in my body! And both her performance and Jessie Buckley’s just made me so incredibly uncomfortable because they reminded me of the aspects of my mother I can’t stand.
Look, this is a fantastic, beautifully made film, I just wish I came to it with different circumstances under my belt. Can we get some grounded crappy dad films to balance everything? Can we get a grounded good mom film? Ya know, I feel like in order to clean me mind I’m just gonna have to go watch CODA again (not like that is a horrible idea or something).
Katie Bienvenue is a lover of film and a writer for 25yearslater.com. Find more on instagram at @katiebienvenue.