Every now and then, we'll see an acclaimed actor move from onstage to behind the scenes, and the film "Daughter of the Shadows" is Maggie Gyllenhaal's debut, based on Elena Ferrante's novel of the same name. .
With a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Olivia Colman, Jesse Buckley and Dakota Johnson, this family-backed film quickly grabbed everyone's attention at the 2021 festival. focus on.
The film tells the story of Lida (Olivia Coleman), who is in her 40s, goes to a Greek island alone for a summer vacation. After forming a habit of walking on the beach every day, Lida becomes acquainted with locals and vacationers, which leads to her unique observation of her young mother, Nina (Dakota Johnson). After a series of tense events, a memory of the past leads Lida to make some difficult decisions.
As a heroine, Lida has a strong duality, with Coleman playing her current role and Buckley playing her days as a young mother and two daughters in a series of flashbacks.
Gyllenhaal's films capture emotions trapped in the past and grapple with a sense of guilt in the present in turbulent results. The storyline quickly transforms from a seemingly mundane story to a compelling drama.
From the title of the film alone, motherhood would be an obvious central theme, but it's not explored in the way one would expect it to be. "Daughter in the Darkness" is brutally candid about the heavy responsibility that comes with parenting.
In modern times, there is a generalization that all women are born mothers, stemming from traditional notions of gender roles. In a disturbing but refreshing way, Gyllenhaal's narrative frames the audience to distance themselves from the concept and ponder whether there are women who regret their transformation into mothers.
It's a shame for some that the first act of the movie is dragged on for a long time, with no real insight into where the plot is headed. Yet when the rhythm is found, it's almost addictive in a way. The more one knows about Lida, the more complex she becomes, and the more interested people are in exploring her past.
The flashbacks are the most compelling part of the film, both visually and thematically. Many scenes are set in the present, when warm moments from the past can feel washed out. Even if this is intentional, there is still a lot to be desired.
The film "Daughter in the Dark" never attempted to fit Leda into a simplified frame of bad motherhood. A person can do strange, even reprehensible things, not the things that define their character. Lida finds parenting suffocating, and Gyllenhaal vehemently refuses to ease the edge of pain and frustration.
Jesse Buckley's meticulous performance is absolutely eye-catching, and it's no surprise that Olivia Colman is as compelling as ever. Getting two very different actors to play a single role was a difficult task, but Buckley and Coleman managed to create a seamless character.
Dakota Johnson's Nina is also very interesting. Compared with Lida, the tough character, Nina's image is more of a two-dimensional image. Still, Johnson did her best, and when it was finally revealed, she managed to deliver an emotionally charged climax.
Through it all, "Daughter of the Shadows" embodies Maggie Gyllenhaal's passion as a filmmaker and a solid starting point for her first film. While the storyline is engaging and offers discussion of some taboo topics, some aspects of the film aren't ideal as far as writing goes.