This is a tough movie. It’s easy to watch, almost mesmerizing with its tone, sound mix, and sometimes dreamy flashbacks and interpretive imagery. But it’s also about a type of character we’re not supposed to see on screen, much less like. A harsh, intense, selfish character who may more accurately reflect a side of motherhood that we’d like to not think about.

The Lost Daughter stars Olivia Coleman as an academic on holiday in Greece. She’s trying to relax when a large, obnoxious Italian family crashes the beach. As she watches them with barely contained contempt, she focuses on a young mother (played by Dakota Johnson) and her daughter. She then flashes back to when she was a young mother (now played by Jessie Buckley) and we get parallel stories.

Where this movie goes and what it’s about is something that only reveals itself slowly (like peeling an orange, maybe). With that title and the flashbacks, it might have gone the route of some kidnapping plot or worse… we’re never quite sure what leg we’re standing on. But I’m happy to say this is an unconventional a film in that regard.

The film hinges on the writing of Coleman’s character. This isn’t a sunny Brit on holiday. She’s quite rude and selfish… her standoffishness doesn’t come across as amusing or eccentric. For example, she just doesn’t want to move her beach chair to accommodate a large family. Why? Because that’s just who she is.

This is Maggie Gyllenhaal’s director debut and it is assured. She creates this soundscape and sometimes hazy, sometimes caustic reality in every scene. Great use of sound and dedication to detail. Excellent mixing of past and present, asking the audience to make the connections without explaining when, where, or why we’re in the past. This is very solid work.

I’m not sure how much I enjoyed this film as it is dedicated to keeping you at arm’s length. But that’s just like the main character… a woman who it’s hard to like but represents a real type of person. It’s assured film making by a first time director and long-time star and I look forward to her next film.

Score: 90