THE LOST DAUGHTER

US, 2021, 121 minutes, Colour.

Olivia Colman, Jesse Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed Harris, Peter Sarsgaaard, Dagmara Dominczyk, Paul Mescal, Jack Farthing, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Panos Koronis, Alexandros Mylonas, Alba Rohrwacher, Nikos Poursanidis.

Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal.

As the final credits roll, we might be asking who is, out of the many daughters, the lost daughter of the title. Is it all of them? Some of them? All, particularly by the end, the central character, Leda herself?

Maggie Gyllenhaal has proven herself in acting. This is her first film as director and she has written the screenplay as well, adapting a novel by Eleanor Ferante. The film has many award nominations and won for best screenplay in Venice, 2021.

This is a film one has to stay with, patiently sharing the experiences of Leda, wondering about her, who she really is, what her life has been, and gradual revelations – and, an increasing number of flashbacks to her early life, especially scenes with her two daughters as little children. This reviewer found it easy to move into the film because of the presence of Olivia Coleman and her performance. (Olivia Colman has had a strong British career, but came to prominence with her role as Queen Elizabeth in The Queen and her Oscar, as Queen Anne, in The Favourite.)

The audience arrives at a small Greek resort with Leda, settles into her pleasant apartment, helped by expatriate at Lyle (Ed Harris). She goes to the beach. She swims. She makes notes. She goes for walks. And back to the apartment. A quiet holiday.

But then an extended family, Americans and Greeks, arrive and rather take over the small beach. Leda observes, is a touch nasty in refusing to move spot on the beach for the family – and later apologising. She observes, has some conversations, especially with Callie (Dagmara Dominczyk), 42 and pregnant for the first time. And she observes Nina (Dakota Johnson), young, handsome and tough Greek husband, little daughter. Leda is fascinated by the daughter, mother and daughter relationship, the daughter and her little doll. When the little girl goes missing, it is Leda who finds her and restores her to the gratitude of the family – but, for some reason, takes possession of the doll, hiding it, later cleaning it, later buying clothes for it, dressing it.

And, as she observes, her mind goes back. As young she had played by Jessie Buckley, in another fine performance. She remembers her two daughters, her relationship with her husband, her academic and distinguished career, Italian literature, translator, and also analyses of the poetry of W.H.Auden. She is easily irritated by her daughters but then makes up. And there are dolls. An extended flashback takes her to an invitation to a conference, discovering a Professor Peter Sarsgaard, who has read her work and appreciated her insights into the poetry, praising them during his lecture, inviting her to sit next to him at the dinner – and, as we anticipated, an affair but with more drastic consequences.

The screenplay consists of a number of episodes, Lyle and his conversation with Leda, cooking a meal, dancing with her. And she has a conversation with the Irish Will who works on the island during vacations – but who has a secret with Nina. She goes to the cinema and is angry with the noisy young men who enjoy disturbing the audience.

There is some dramatic climax, especially with Nina, with the doll, Leda ending her holiday but disturbed, some reckless driving, lying on the beach (which is how the film opened). It is not all tragic – but, we are left with the portrait of Leda, liking her, sometimes disliking her, definitely not always approving, but wondering whether this holiday, this opportunity for memories and reflection, is something of a catharsis for her – and a phone call with one of her daughters. Her future?

1. The title? With reference to leader, to her daughters?
2. The Greek island setting, the resort, the hotel, the town, the beaches, the sand on the shore, the shops, the cinema, the Greek countryside? The contrast with the US, homes, academic settings? The musical score?
3. The presence of Olivia Coleman? Sympathetic, not always sympathetic? Age 48, the audience not knowing much about her, the initial impressions, arriving, the encounter with Lyle, the accommodation, having a holiday, on the beach, swimming, relaxing? The encounter with the Greek-Americans, their noise, a surly response, the later apology? The growing friendship with Nina, with her little girl, the presence of the doll? Nina and her disappearance, the search, leader finding her, but keeping the doll, in her room, later dressing it, buying the clothes, hiding it? The bonding with Nina, the discussions with Callie and her being pregnant in her 40s, interactions with the men, rowdy, Nina’s husband?
4. Lyle, expatriate, friendly, helping leader, offering her the meal, the relationship and not going any further?
5. The beginning of the flashbacks, the revelations about leader and her early life, her marriage, her two daughters, her irritation with them, temper, yet love and fostering them? The dolls? Her academic background, translation, the poetry of Auden? The professor and his inviting her to the conference, the encounter with the young professor, his speech, reference to her, the later meetings, his flirtation, the affair, for some years, leaving her daughters and husband? And the later return? Indication of subsequent relationships with her daughters?
6. The incident in cinema, the rowdy men, calling the manager, their taunting her?
7. The incident in the shop, buying the clothes for the doll? The encounter with the women?
8. The discussions with Nina, the friendship with the Irishman, Will, dinner with her, his revealing the relationship with Nina? Asking for her apartment? The challenge to Nina?
9. Nina’s visit, the revelation of the doll, the subsequent tensions?
10. Leader, deciding to go home, going to the water and collapsing, the scene actually beginning the film and the rest flashback? What recovery? What future? Reconciliations or not?