What we flagged
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Our take
A woman on holiday is drawn into memories of motherhood, regret and the choices she cannot undo. The Lost Daughter is quiet rather than action-heavy, but its unease and emotional honesty are very adult. Two frank sex scenes and frequent strong language put it at 16 and up for us.
Uplifting themes
The film is honest that mothering can be exhausting and complicated, which may feel validating to adults. It does not offer a neat lesson for kids The characters are flawed and sometimes cruel, and nobody is an easy example. Even the sympathetic ones make selfish choices that hurt people close to them
Story (may spoil tone)
A woman's seaside vacation takes a dark turn when her obsession with a young mother forces her to confront secrets from her past.
What we flagged
Details
Violence A woman is hurt in a car crash, and tempers flare into shoving and a th…
A woman is hurt in a car crash, and tempers flare into shoving and a thrown object a few times. The fights are short and the injuries are small
Language The f-word comes steadily, along with s-word, c-word, and crude insults…
The f-word comes steadily, along with s-word, c-word, and crude insults, especially from young men at the beach and in arguments. A few sexual slurs about women add to it. Fewer words fall in quiet scenes
Sex / nudity Flashbacks and a present-day fling include frank sex scenes with nudity…
Flashbacks and a present-day fling include frank sex scenes with nudity and explicit talk. Crude sexual comments about other people also come up. This material is fully adult
Drugs / alcohol Wine, cocktails, and a few cigarettes are part of the holiday mood. Nob…
Wine, cocktails, and a few cigarettes are part of the holiday mood. Nobody is shown badly drunk and substances are not a main focus
Frightening A slow, uneasy menace builds around unfriendly strangers on the beach,…
A slow, uneasy menace builds around unfriendly strangers on the beach, a creepy doll, and a child's panic. There are no jump scares, but the film leaves a watchful sense of dread
Sexual violence Young men make crude sexual remarks and threats toward a woman, and a p…
Young men make crude sexual remarks and threats toward a woman, and a poem about a mythic rape is read aloud. No assault is shown, but the talk is uncomfortable
Child peril / abuse A small girl goes missing on a crowded beach, and the mother's panic is…
A small girl goes missing on a crowded beach, and the mother's panic is drawn out. In flashbacks, young girls are left alone while a mother loses her temper. The children are not seriously harmed
Bullying / discrimination A pushy group pressures a stranger over where she sits and answers her…
A pushy group pressures a stranger over where she sits and answers her refusal with hostile stares and threats. It is petty social bullying, mostly verbal
Gore / death / weapons Some blood shows after a car crash, and a small wound bleeds in a later…
Some blood shows after a car crash, and a small wound bleeds in a later scene. The camera does not dwell on injuries and nothing is graphic
Mental health A woman wrestles with guilt, resentment, and the regret of leaving her…
A woman wrestles with guilt, resentment, and the regret of leaving her children years ago. Her feelings are raw and not neatly resolved. It is a heavy look at maternal ambivalence
Flashing lights We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
We have not confirmed whether this version contains flashing lights.
Family watch notes
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Talk after watching
- The main character admits she did something many people would judge. How did the film try to make you understand her without excusing her?
- Why do you think the young mother and the older woman keep circling each other on the beach?
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The Lost Daughter
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