Debut films are often a great success or a meaningless flop. The movie "The Lost Daughter" is neither this nor that. The film's director, Maggie Gyllenhaal, is undoubtedly a good actress. Her best-known role was in the movie "The Dark Knight". Now she is moving alongside the camera, as a director. Lada (Olivia Coleman) is an independent demon-haunted girl. She embarks on a journey towards the beach. At the beach she collapses and meets a family who adopts her to her lap, and her heart goes out to them. We are exposed to the present and also to flashbacks from her life. The problem with the film is not necessarily the direction, but the script is pretty mediocre and heavenly. There are very few occurrences in the film, and for our usual generation of Hollywood action, it will be difficult to concentrate on the dialogues and philosophical layers of the film.
There is a rather glorious cast of actors, however even the great Olivia Coleman fails to give the film a touch of mystery and darkness. The film very quickly disperses in very many directions and loses viewers. The plot does not allow Gyllenhaal to show her skills and pity. We have to wait for another film to decide what the potential of the talented actress as a director is.
