The storytelling apparatus for "The Lost Daughter" is actually pretty simple: a present-day timeline is set up, and then supplemented by flashbacks that flesh out the backstory of the main character. In this specific case, however, I only found myself compelled by the flashbacks, and almost nothing happening in the main timeline. That's not a great formula for film success.
For a very basic overview, "The Lost Daughter" tells the story of Leda (Olivia Colman), a middle-aged professor on holiday at a beach resort. By sheer happenstance, she finds herself embroiled in a bit of drama involving young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson), who is having trouble with husband Tony (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and overwhelmed by a daughter. This causes Leda to flash-back to her younger self (played by Jessie Buckley), when she struggled monumentally with her own children and trying to have an academic career.
Like I said, the main issue that garnered this film such a low rating from me was that I was never all that invested in older Leda's activities. Her rather odd comportment, seemingly petty squabbles with Nina's extended clan, and numerous shots of her wandering around the resort just didn't do anything for me. Seeing as how this comprises the majority of the movie, it meant extended stretches where my interest really waned.
The material in the flashbacks? That was actually pretty good, featuring some real issues like postpartum depression (of a sort), a woman trying to have a career with children, and infidelity. At times, Buckley stole the show for me. Again, though, due to their very nature those flashbacks represented a small-enough portion of the experience to not drive the entire flick.
Speaking of cast, I don't think that's the problem here. Besides those already mentioned, Ed Harris & Peter Sarsgaard also are in the fray. There's no lack of A-level talent, in other words. No--I think the predominant issue with "The Lost Daughter" was that the gulf between past and present story-wise was too large and too stark to be crossed successfully.
I can give the film four stars because it did have some interesting material it tried to examine, but overall it felt unfulfilling. After the last scene cut to close, my first thought was "all this way for that?!". Not a great sentiment to go out on.
For a very basic overview, "The Lost Daughter" tells the story of Leda (Olivia Colman), a middle-aged professor on holiday at a beach resort. By sheer happenstance, she finds herself embroiled in a bit of drama involving young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson), who is having trouble with husband Tony (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and overwhelmed by a daughter. This causes Leda to flash-back to her younger self (played by Jessie Buckley), when she struggled monumentally with her own children and trying to have an academic career.
Like I said, the main issue that garnered this film such a low rating from me was that I was never all that invested in older Leda's activities. Her rather odd comportment, seemingly petty squabbles with Nina's extended clan, and numerous shots of her wandering around the resort just didn't do anything for me. Seeing as how this comprises the majority of the movie, it meant extended stretches where my interest really waned.
The material in the flashbacks? That was actually pretty good, featuring some real issues like postpartum depression (of a sort), a woman trying to have a career with children, and infidelity. At times, Buckley stole the show for me. Again, though, due to their very nature those flashbacks represented a small-enough portion of the experience to not drive the entire flick.
Speaking of cast, I don't think that's the problem here. Besides those already mentioned, Ed Harris & Peter Sarsgaard also are in the fray. There's no lack of A-level talent, in other words. No--I think the predominant issue with "The Lost Daughter" was that the gulf between past and present story-wise was too large and too stark to be crossed successfully.
I can give the film four stars because it did have some interesting material it tried to examine, but overall it felt unfulfilling. After the last scene cut to close, my first thought was "all this way for that?!". Not a great sentiment to go out on.