What makes The Daughter so gripping is precisely the sentimentality, its overdramatic elements, that it has been criticised for. Its rising tension, its focus on character, and its stunning cinematography imbue it with a sense of gravity. That tension builds and builds until it breaks, and then the film is over, and there is no moral or neat ending. The sequence of events is so tragic, almost inevitable: the return of one son, and his discovery and self-destruction, leading to the unraveling of other persons’ lives, and very identities.
The Daughter is caught up in the theatrical, written and directed by debut feature filmmaker Simon Stone, an adaptation of his mainstage adaptation of The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen. Pulling that level of drama into an Australian context could’ve gone either way, due in part to a seeming reluctance on the part of Australian filmmaking to make something ‘emotional’ – but in this case it is successful because of Stone’s strength as a writer and director. The film places dialogue on top of static, poignant moments; contrasts breathtaking scenery with the stark depictions of raw human emotion; and employs a stellar cast: Sam Neill, Paul Schneider, Geoffrey Rush, Odessa Young (a standout), Miranda Otto, and Ewen Leslie, who contributes the most textured performance of the lot.
It’s about the way our families, our actions and our omissions define and break us. Stunning.
