Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman) is a middle-aged university professor and translator. While vacationing alone in Greece, she has encounters with hotel staff and other guests while recalling her past difficulties as a young mother. In flashback scenes, her younger self is played by Jessie Buckley.
Colman's performance is mixed but mostly good. Her facial expressions and vocal tones are powerful but there are too many instances of incoherent muttering.
There is an amazing resemblance between Colman and Buckley so credit must be given to the casting department as well as the performers themselves. But sadly, they are playing an unlikeable character whose oddities are not adequately explained. This is especially true in the current story involving Leda's connection with a young family who are staying in the same hotel. Without revealing much, her behaviour regarding a certain object indirectly causes torment to a young girl which causes distress to the girl's family. In Leda's final scene with the girl's mother, played by Dakota Johnson, Leda's chosen words are deliberately insensitive and arrogant - making her character even more loathsome.
There are times that the Johnson character, Nina, seems to have much in common with Leda especially regarding the difficulties of raising a young child. The film might have been more effective if Nina had been given more exposure. The same could be said of the general theme of being overwhelmed by parenthood and the occasional (or frequent) desire to escape it. Taking on such a daring topic is bold but unfortunately, the film falls short of its potential. - dbamateurcritic.
Colman's performance is mixed but mostly good. Her facial expressions and vocal tones are powerful but there are too many instances of incoherent muttering.
There is an amazing resemblance between Colman and Buckley so credit must be given to the casting department as well as the performers themselves. But sadly, they are playing an unlikeable character whose oddities are not adequately explained. This is especially true in the current story involving Leda's connection with a young family who are staying in the same hotel. Without revealing much, her behaviour regarding a certain object indirectly causes torment to a young girl which causes distress to the girl's family. In Leda's final scene with the girl's mother, played by Dakota Johnson, Leda's chosen words are deliberately insensitive and arrogant - making her character even more loathsome.
There are times that the Johnson character, Nina, seems to have much in common with Leda especially regarding the difficulties of raising a young child. The film might have been more effective if Nina had been given more exposure. The same could be said of the general theme of being overwhelmed by parenthood and the occasional (or frequent) desire to escape it. Taking on such a daring topic is bold but unfortunately, the film falls short of its potential. - dbamateurcritic.