Review: The Lost Daughter

Leda (Olivia Colman) is a professor on holiday in Greece. She becomes fascinated with a young mother, Nina (Dakota Johnson) which triggers memories of her younger self (Jessie Buckley) and the trials of motherhood. 

Olivia Colman can really do no wrong at this point. She's fantastic in everything and this is another film where she knocks it out of the park. To say Leda is complex is an understatement. When we meet her, she could be any awkward woman in her 40's just going about her business. But we learn quickly just how being a mother has shaped her and the hardships she's faced. If you're a parent, think of all those frustrating moments you've had. You love your kids, but you want them to just chillthefuckout and give you a minute of peace. That's basically what Buckley's version of Leda deals with every day, and Colman's version is what she's made into. Buckley is also very good as young Leda. Johnson I still think is kind of awkward on screen, but she's not bad. 

This is director Maggie Gyllenhaal's debut, and for the most part she's great behind the camera. She tends to overuse close up shots. I get she was going to intimate but it got fairly irritating after a while. She also wrote the screenplay, which is far stronger. The film flows well. There's a few awkward moments here and there but overall it works very well.

And at one point happy Ed Harris shows up to cook octopus. That sounds pretty fantastic to me.

Recommended: Yes

Grade: B

Memorable Quote: "I don't know why." - Leda (Olivia Colman)