Inspired by a play called The Wild Duck by Henrik Ibsen, The Daughter stars big Australian names Geoffrey Rush, Miranda Otto and Sam Neill as well as younger Aussie actors Ewen Leslie and Odessa Young and American Paul Schneider. They all give brilliant performances.
This film is incredible.
Based in a regional NSW town whose economy is sustained by the local mill run by Rush's character Henry Neilson, there's something very authentic about this film. I completely bought the relationships, the tensions, the love, the complexities.
Henry's estranged son Christian (Schneider) returns to town for his father's wedding to a much younger woman. Old local connections are re-established and friendships rekindled, including Christian with his childhood friend Oliver (Ewen Leslie). Oliver's teenage daughter Hedvig is 'The Daughter', played by Odessa Young, so you know she's central to the story.
I went into this film knowing nothing of the story and I found it gripping and haunting, so I'll leave it at that as far as the plot. When I say haunting, I do mean it. I thought about this film for many hours after it finished.
I wholeheartedly agree with this four star review in The Guardian, if you do want further reading. Definitely recommend this one.
Trailer here. In cinemas 17 March.