"The hardest things to talk about are the ones we ourselves can't understand."
-Elena Ferrante, The Lost Daughter
Hello everyone! I'm back this month (or rather, year) with a brand new release, Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut The Lost Daughter, adapted from a novel of the same title. I feel like I should've waited to write the post until I read the original book, but I simply couldn't wait for it as I loved the movie adaptation. Now I'm writing this post with the e-book open in another tab, reading a chapter or two between breaks. Hopefully I can finish reading it by the time I finish writing this, which is going to be interesting... Thanks for joining me this week and I hope you enjoy reading the post!
So, a few chapters turned into almost thirty, and before I knew it I found myself having finished the entire book. It was really, really well written, and I suggest you read it before you watch the film - because I kind of regret not doing so.
Back to the movie, it tells the story of a middle-aged mother, Leda, taking a vacation alone on the shores of Greece and confronting the secrets of her past. Just like in the novel, we follow the storyline through Leda's gaze. One of my favourite aspects of the film was that the director insisted on letting the story unfold behind Leda's eyes and no one else, which seems more fitting after reading the book.
Speaking of the novel, I found it touching that the writer of the book, Ferrante, initially refused to let a male director adapt her work to the cinema, simply because she thought a male's perspective wouldn't match her own. Yet once Maggie Gyllenhaal approached her with the same request, she felt the need to accept it, saying:" We've been inside the male cage for too long - and now that the cage is collapsing, a woman artist has to be completely autonomous. Her search shouldn't encounter obstacles, especially when it's inspired by the thought of other women." As a result, I think Gyllenhaal did an excellent job at adapting the text into a script, never deviating from the underlying moral issue.
The secret behind the success of both versions of the story is the masterful execution of the characters. In the book, Ferrante perfectly captures the portrait of a burned-out young mother who loves her daughters to the point of neglecting her own life. In the movie, we see the same portrait brought to life through a well crafted visual language. With its actors, production, and even the team of costume designers did a wonderful job at portraying the story.
One thing I wasn't satisfied with, though, was the fact that the underlying cause of Leda's behaviour was almost untouched in the film. While most of Leda's decisions rely on impulses, the book gives slight hints about her childhood memories that might be linked to her future actions. Reading those memories, we realize that Leda grew a resentment toward her mother for despising her and even threatening to abandon her multiple times. With this fear of getting abandoned almost all throughout her childhood, Leda decides to devote herself completely to her children only to get lost as a result. I wish the movie explored more of this issue just to give a better understanding to the audience.
Nina, the young mother whom Leda meets on vacation, was my favourite character overall. Nina symbolizes the perfect motherhood Leda thought she could never give to her children, because she thinks she's an "unnatural mother". This admiration mixed with poisonous envy leads her to steal Nina's daughter's (Elena) doll, which throws her into dealing with Elena's never-ending tantrum for days.
Even though the story seems so simple on the surface, Leda's actions as a mother, Nina's life aspirations (which is centered around Elena), and even Elena's maternal care to her doll points to a meaningful commentary about the established motherhood norms in society. By breaking these norms, Leda and Nina go through a crushing guilt and regret, yet they find the experience liberating.
I loved the small detail of the book and the movie ending on opposite terms, letting the audience perceive the story from different points of views.
Lastly, it would be a crime not to mention the amazing performances from Olivia Colman (please never stop acting), Dakota Johnson (hi), and Jessie Buckley - it's so unfair that her performance isn't getting recognized by critics. Then again, so many great movies are getting disregarded this year, so at some point we have to accept it and move on. Doesn't mean I won't be forever bitter about it though...
Slowly finishing the post, I'd like to thank you for reading, and you're welcome to check out my Instagram, Twitter, and Tumblr; all with the same nickname moviesatdawn. You can also leave a comment below or send your suggestions to: moviesatdawn@gmail.com. Thanks for being here and I'll see you I don't know when!
"Mama, what are you doing, why haven't you called? Won't you at least let us know if you're alive or dead?
Deeply moved, I murmured:
'I'm dead, but I'm fine.'
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