In Gyllenhaal’s full length directing debut, we follow Leda, played by Olivia Colman. Colman played in films of Yorgos Lanthimos, so you know it has not to be too straight forward.
Leda is a literary professor who goes on a working holiday by herself. In a tiny beach community, Leda observes the locals and feels for a young woman struggling with mothership. This reminds of her own struggles over two decades earlier and in flash backs we also get that side of the story.
Leda is initially somewhat distant from the villagers, but she grows some sort of bond with some of them. Apparently this is not to everybody’s liking.
“The Lost Daughter” is a slow and minimalist drama without a big story, but more a look at how people are just people who do not always know why they do the things that they do. This makes an alright drama.
