The Daughter

Starring: Paul Schneider, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill, Anna Torv Miranda Otto, Ewen Leslie and Odessa Young

Directed by: Simon Stone

Written by: Simon Stone

Reviewed by: Joshua Ochoa

[rating: 4.5/5]

The Daughter is an Australian film adaptation loosely based on the 1884 play The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen. Simon Stone both the screenplay and directed the film after having reworked the source material for the stage previously. This is his feature debut after directing a segment in the Australian anthology film The Turning.  The film follows Christian (Paul Schneider), who has returned home from America for his father’s wedding and uncovers a long-buried family secret and attempts to make things right.

In the wrong hands The Daughter could have been an incredibly overwrought and contrived drama. Fortunately Stone handles the film with so much love and care that you can’t help but get wrapped up in the emotions of all the characters in the film. Though this film is short, it most definitely is a slow burn and to keep you invested you have to connect with the characters and Stone’s writing makes that easy. Everyone is a nerve hiding just under the surface and at any moment they could be exposed and the cast portray this fantastically.

There’s not one off performance in this film. Everyone gives it all they’ve got and when you have the likes of Schneider, Geoffrey Rush, Sam Neill and Miranda Otto that’s a given. But, I was most impressed by Ewen Leslie and new comer Odessa Young. Leslie feels incredible natural and warm, even though his character does have regrets he tackles life in such a content way. Young is wonderful as the titular ‘Daughter’ and could very well be Australia’s next rising star. [I actually saw her in a short film a year or two ago and thought she was just wonderful and it’s great to her continuing to deliver on the promise she showed].

But, what convinced me most about this film was the atmosphere and tone. You can feel the cold of the film, the sadness, the regret and loss. This picture follows a lot of broken people who are just trying to move forward but the past is hiding around the corner and you get that completely. The most important job of the director in regards to telling the story is establishing the tone and atmosphere and making sure it’s not jarring and doesn’t shift drastically.

This  will go on to become one of the great Australian films of this decade. It’s incredibly raw, emotional and bleak but it’s never feels false. Not only that, it’s gorgeously shot. Cinematographer Andrew Commis captured the locations beautifully, especially the woodlands and adds the cold feeling of the film. The music is also great too. I loved this film and was completely immersed in the experience of watching it.