The Lost Daughter is a film that follows in a long line of classic films that tell the story of motherhood and regret through a psychological lens. The film is a taut drama that shows the slow unraveling of character as she is subjected to the memories of the past that she hasn't reconciled with.
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Many films share the same themes as The Lost Daughter but few have captured the true essence of the story. The clever blending of genres makes it similar to many films but some are perfect viewing for fans of The Lost Daughter.
Blue Jasmine (2013)
Stream On Showtime
Blue Jasmine is a tale of regret and humility that follows a New York socialite who is forced to reconcile with her sister after her life falls apart. The film is a character driven dramatic comedy that focuses on the dynamic between two sisters as well as the psychology of the main character.
The film explores the past of the characters and how they ended up in their individual life situations. Though the film is certainly more comedic than The Lost Daughter, it deals with many similar themes such as regret and reconciliation.
Mother! (2017)
Stream On Paramount Plus
Mother! takes the horrific elements of The Lost Daughter and ramps them up. The film is an allegorical story about motherhood while simultaneously making commentary about the way the environment is treated as well.
Though the film was challenging to viewers upon its release, it has garnered praise and has been well ed. The film features many of the horror thriller elements that would be familiar to fans of The Lost Daughter, but it is built upon more. Mother! also deals with the idea of an uninvited guest which is a strong theme in The Lost Daughter.
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Stream On HBO Max
The themes in The Lost Daughter have been present in filmmaking for decades and The Naked Kiss is a strong example. The film follows a woman with a checkered past who moves to a small town in an attempt to reinvent herself. Unfortunately, the dark aspects of her past follow her and she finds her tranquility disrupted.
The film explores the psychology of a woman who wants nothing more than to forget her past and it also delves into the role motherhood. Though The Naked Kiss shares elements of the noir genre, director Samuel Fuller's masterpiece would be familiar to fans of The Lost Daughter. The encroaching of the past is shared by both films and it is ultimately the characters biggest downfall.
Single White Female (1992)
Rent On Amazon
The theme of obsession is often a common trope in thriller films but some use it well in their story. Single White Female tells the story of a young socialite who must find a roommate after her boyfriend leaves her. The woman she picks slowly begins to become obsessed with her and she must fight to reclaim her life.
On the surface, Single White Female is very different from The Lost Daughter but they both feature a female lead and the idea of obsession with another person's life. The main characters in both films become entangled in their obsessions and it leads them down a dark path.
The Last Time I Saw Paris (1954)
Stream On Amazon Prime
Though films of the period were generally softer on the psychological drama, The Last Time I Saw Paris does an excellent job of hinting at its themes. The end of WWII is the backdrop of a personal drama about memories and regrets set in a jubilant time for the world.
Spencer (2021)
Rent On Amazon
the pressures she receives from the royal family.
Though not as dark as The Lost Daughter, Spencer has its fair share of thriller aspects as well. The two films are similar in that both women are put under tremendous pressure to behave a certain way by society, and their motherhood is under scrutiny. Spencer is a great companion piece because it illustrates that the themes of The Lost Daughter are pertinent in real life as well.
Persona (1966)
Stream On HBO Max
Sometimes the best way to explore themes is to obfuscate reality in some way. Persona follows a pair of women who vacation on a remote island to escape the pressure's of every day life. Along the way the issues of sexuality and motherhood are explored in a way that no film had tried before.
Persona is an exploration of the character's psyche and though there isn't anything particularly sinister about the film, it still has a creepy atmosphere. The Lost Daughter sees its main character escaping the real world on a vacation that turns sour which is similar to the plot of Persona. Though the two films are separate in their executions, they deal with similar themes.
Gone Girl (2014)
Stream On Hulu
Gone Girl explores what happens when a woman is fed up with her life and begins to behave badly. The film follows a woman who fakes her own death in an attempt to reinvent herself as well as frame her husband for murder.
The film is a taut thriller that explores the psychology of relationships and what happens when someone is pushed too far. Both films put their lead characters in a difficult position that is caused by their own actions, and yet the audience still sympathizes with them because of their motivations.
Vertigo (1958)
Stream On The Criterion Channel
Vertigo was perhaps the most complicated film he ever made. The film follows a detective who falls in love with a woman and begins to shape her into the person he wants her to be.
The film is about the stripping away of identity when someone is perceived by someone else. Similar to The Lost Daughter the characters in Vertigo are victims of a society that tells them how they should behave and it leaves a lot of emotional scars.
Beloved (1998)
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Set in the decades following the American Civil War, Beloved blends several genres together into a unique film. Sethe is a formerly enslaved woman who finds new romance with an old friend after they are reunited. However, a mysterious young girl named Beloved arrives and strange things begin to happen to them.
Beloved blends elements of romance, horror, and drama together into a fascinating tale of traumatic memories and the effect they can have one someone. Sethe is haunted by her past and then she is literally haunted by a specter that may have something to do with her past actions.
