WISE Score
Avg. Tomatometer
A Greek holiday turns into a tense psychological standoff over a stolen doll and the uncomfortable reality that some people just aren't cut out for the 'mom' life.
6.794%
86
If you’re looking for a feel-good movie about the joys of parenting, run the other direction. The Lost Daughter is a brilliant, uncomfortable, and deeply necessary look at the parts of motherhood that society usually asks women to keep quiet.
It’s a 'hard watch' in the best way possible. Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley are incredible, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s direction is so sharp it draws blood. It’s one of the best films of 2021, but keep it far away from family movie night.
This is strictly for adults and mature teens (16+). The themes of identity, regret, and the 'crushing' nature of motherhood will be totally lost on younger kids, and the R-rated content makes it inappropriate for them anyway.
The film centers on a mother who abandoned her children for several years and feels a complicated mix of regret and relief. It's the opposite of 'wholesome'—it's a raw, jagged look at the dark side of maternal identity.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's direction turns a literary internal monologue into a visceral, sun-drenched thriller. It’s a creative masterclass in how to film the 'unfilmable' nuances of guilt and obsession.
Rated R for a reason. It contains sexual content, brief nudity, and language, but the real 'danger' for a younger viewer is the intense, suffocating psychological distress and themes of child neglect.
For adults, this is top-tier art. It forces a conversation about the societal expectations of motherhood and the loss of self. It's deeply empathetic toward flawed people without making excuses for them.
Adapting Elena Ferrante is a high-wire act. Her prose is so internal and specific that it usually defies translation to the screen. But Maggie Gyllenhaal managed to capture the 'smell' of the books—that sense of impending dread that comes from simply being a person in the world.
The Lost Daughter doesn't rely on big explosions or typical plot twists. Instead, the tension comes from a bowl of rotting fruit, a pin stuck in a back, or a toddler’s relentless screaming. It’s a movie that understands that for many parents, the 'dark turn' isn't a kidnapping or a murder—it's the moment you realize you might not want to be a parent anymore.
You’ll notice a big gap between what critics think (94%) and what general audiences think (56%). That's usually a sign that a movie is 'difficult.' People go in expecting a vacation mystery or a redemption story, and instead, they get a character study of a woman who makes choices that are culturally unforgivable. If you can handle an unlikable protagonist and a story that doesn't tie everything up with a bow, you'll find this to be one of the most rewarding films on Netflix. If you want a hero to root for, you're going to be frustrated.
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