ANGEL OF MINE
Australia, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Noomi Rapace, Yvonne Strahofski, Luke Evans, Richard Roxburgh, Rob Collins, Finn Little, Tracy Mann, Rachel Gordon, Pip Miller, Annika Whiteley.
Directed by Kim Farrant.
This is a strong Australian drama which, initially, some more audiences might think would be better seen on television. But, as the film continues, drawing the audience into the growingly intense development of its plot, they can be pleased that they are watching and focusing on a big screen in the dark.
The director of the film is Kim Farrant (Strangerland) and one of the co-writers is Luke Davies who made such success of a drama about mothers and children, Lion.
And, this is a drama about mothers and children.
The setting is Melbourne, the audience is immersed in suburbia. Lizzie is seen at work, putting on make-up, a beauty consultant at a store. But, the make-up is something of a mask. Gradually, we discover that she is a deeply disturbed woman, many of the details of her situation and her trauma not immediately revealed, the audience having to get to know her, understand her, doubt her, be exasperated with her. She is meeting her estranged husband, Luke Evans, sharing custody with the young son, Thomas (Finn Little, the young boy in the recent remake of Storm Boy). Thomas seems more at home with his father than with his moody mother.
By chance, Lizzie glimpses a seven-year-old girl, the daughter of a family who are about to move to Perth, whose son plays soccer with Thomas. Lizzie takes a picture of the little girl – and the drama moves to a more intense pace.
When the audience learns that Lizzie has lost her young daughter in a fire, we become more and more involved in her obsession, her stalking of the little girl, her belief that this really is her little daughter. If this sounds intriguing, it is well worth following up by watching the film, more and more revelations about Lizzie and her character and suffering, the attempts of her parents to help her, her visits to a psychologist, the tension with her husband.
The other principal character, in fact, is the mother of the little girl, Claire (a strong performance by Yvonne Strahovski), with Richard Roxburgh playing her husband. Claire is friendly with Lizzie, two mothers talking about their sons and Lizzie intimating that she would like to buy the comfortable home, visiting again and again.
One of the puzzles is wondering the nature of Lizzie’s obsession, whether there is any intimation that what she claims could be true. As time goes on, Lizzie intrudes on the family, making Claire both suspicious and angry, building up to a final confrontation between the two women.
In terms of international filmmaking, it is interesting to find Swedish actress, Noomi Rapace (who came to international attention as Elizabeth Solander in the millennium trilogy as The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo). The screenplay indicates that she has a Swedish mother (played by Tracy Mann) and lived in Stockholm for some time, hence her accent in Melbourne.
Given the information that this film is an adaptation of a French film, L’Empreinte? de l’Ange/Mark of an Angel (2008), directed by Safy Nebbou, director of the recent Juliette Binoche drama, Who You Say I Am, and featuring two of France’s leading actresses, Catherine Frot and Sandrine Bonnaire, it would certainly be most interesting to be able to see the original film.
For audiences who appreciate well-written, well-directed, dramas with strong performances, this is well worth watching.
1. The title? Echoes of Baby of Mine? Angels and children?
2. The Melbourne sitting, the remake of the film? The suburbs, homes, schools, shops and malls, psychologists offices, parks? The musical score?
3. The focus on Lizzie, the performance by Noomi Rapace? The Swedish background? The opening, make up, her job? Going to meet Mike, the introduction of Thomas, the tension, the separation and custody papers, outings, at home, Lizzie and her weeping? Her seeing Lola, taking the photograph and cherishing it? The gradual revelation of what had happened, Rosie’s death, the father, the effect, still celebrating her birthday? The psychological consequences, the institution, divorce and custody, at work, the friendship with Alice, the arranging of the date, the awkwardness of the meal, the sexual encounter and her leaving? Encountering Claire, Tom’s playing with Jeremy? The nightmare and her having to rescue Lola from the pool? The continued presence, the skating and the accident, on the side of the stage for the ballet performance? The issue of buying the house, the tour, Lola’s room? The effect, the clashes with clear, her intruding, hiding in the cupboard, the confrontation and fight with Claire? The visits to her parents, their support? The interview with the psychologist and her lying to him? The audience sharing the perception of madness?
4. Did the screenplay indicate to the audience that they should have an inkling that Lizzie was actually telling the truth?
5. Thomas, his age, moods, staying with his father, upset with his mother, playing with Jeremy, the difficulties of Lizzie not picking him up? His decision about his father? Staying with his grandparents?
6. The grandparents, Swedish and English backgrounds, understanding of Lizzie, minding Thomas, the meals? Their believing that she was psychologically upset?
7. Claire, a strong personality, children, the relationship with Bernard, moving to Perth, selling the house, Lizzie and her looking over the house, sharing with Lizzie? The change, seeing Lizzie at the gate, the skating accident, the ballet, contemplating restraining order, Bernard not sharing her anxiety, her being upset about the boat ride, talking with the Lola, the discussion about angels?
8. The going away party, Lizzie arriving, her being ousted, the confrontation with Claire, the fight? The accusation? Claire’s confession, Bernard and the children hearing it? Her rationale, the mother losing a child, audience sympathy?
9. The aftermath, Claire awaiting trial, Lola coming to the house, Jeremy coming in? Mike, the grandparents? What future?
