LOST GIRLS
US, 2020, 95 minutes, Colour.
Amy Ryan, Thomasin Mc Kenzie, Gabriel Byrne, Lola Kirke, Oona Laurence, Miriam Shor, Reed Birney.
Directed by Liz Garbus.
This is a quite effective re-creation of murder cases in the first decade of the 21st century, a story of an unidentified Long Island serial killer.
The film focuses on Amy Ryan as Mari Gilbert, a woman who has had a hard life, given her daughter up for government care, raising another two daughters, trying to find continued work. Is the kind of role that Amy Ryan is particularly effective in. Her eldest daughter has left home and is a prostitute. She promises to come for a meal but does not appear which leads Mari Gilbert to investigate her disappearance, a hard woman, making continued demands on all the people she encounters, the girl’s boyfriend, the girl’s driver, the police who are not sympathetic.
Gabriel Byrne appears as a retiring investigator who does show some sympathy for Mari and works for the investigation.
The prostitute disappeared from a gated community and there are some suspects, especially a doctor who declares that he worked for the rehabilitation of young women. His testimony is inconsistent.
However, in the search, the bodies of four other prostitutes are found, mothers and sisters coming to Long Island, holding a vigil for their dead loved ones. Maria and her daughters participate. The older daughter, Sherre, played by Thomasin Mc Kenzie (Jo Jo Rabbit, The King, True History of the Kelly Gang) also investigates and shares with the mothers and sisters of the dead girls.
A year after these investigations, authorities are persuaded to clear a very difficult would and swamp area and the skeleton of Marie’s daughter is found. Information at the end of the film indicates that the crimes have not been solved. In the screenplay is particularly critical of the slow action of the police.
1. The title? The subtitle about the unsolved American case? Based on facts? The final information about the case, campaigning, Mari Gilbert and her daughters, her death?
2. The New York State setting, the town, the diner, home? The Long Island settings, the gated community, the police precincts, the woods and forests? The musical score?
3. The theme of Beautiful Dreamer? During the credits? Shannon as a little girl and singing it?
4. Mari Gilbert, tough, tough-minded, dealing with her daughters, hard, not expressive in love, concern about Shannon, looking forward to her coming, her missing the meal, making excuses? Her background, young, giving up Shannon, Shannon and her being bipolar? Working hard, the diner and her shifts? Perpetually angry?
5. The portrait of the daughters, Sherre, her age, concerns, reactions to Shannon, support of her mother, involved in investigations, talking with the young people, the younger sister, mental condition?
6. Mari, searching for Shannon, her own investigation, the demands on people, going to see the boyfriend and his explanation, going to see the driver and his description of what happened? The phone call from the doctor? The later discussions with him, his denials? Going to see the police, her being put off, the continued demands, the inspector and his dislike of her? Meeting Richard, making demands on him?
7. The search, the finding of the four bodies? The four prostitutes? The arrival of their families, mothers and sisters, the background of the girls, the relationship with their families? The celebration of the vigil? Mari and her being different, her daughter being missing rather than dead, the daughters and their participation in the vigil? The sympathetic mother, alienate it from the daughter, a good listening ear and comfort for Mari?
8. Mari and her continued demands, the interviews, the doctor, the gated community, concerns, the criticism of the late arrival of the police, the quick arrival with complaints from the community? The doctor, his alleged phone call, his status, wife, rivalries and leadership in the community, his concern for girls in trouble?
9. Richard, his situation, about to retire, dealing with Mari, able to do things, unable? His farewell celebration?
10. The year passing, further developments, non-developments, the women arriving for another vigil? Mari going? Meeting Richard, the discussions? The persuasion to look into the difficult area, clearing it, finding the skeleton, Mari going, looking, her daughters looking?
11. The satisfaction of Mari knowing that her daughter was truly dead?
12. The role of the media?
13. The subsequent investigations, stalling, no solution? The film’s critique of the slowness of work of the police, and some seeming lacking interest?
