The Eternal Daughter – A Failed Atmospheric Character Study

For those who like their films to be contemplative and a little on the slow side, The Eternal Daughter may very well be for them. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that the latest film in Joanna Hogg’s Souvenir universe will not be for everyone. What is clearly a deeply-personal tale simply fails to resonate for the most part while its slow pace doesn’t exactly help its case. More show than tell, this fog-coated character study masquerading as a ghost story somehow says a lot without saying anything at all, resulting in what will inevitably be a chore to watch despite a relatively short 90+ minute running time. That being said, shot very much like the Souvenir films and once again featuring who has seemed to become Joanna Hogg’s muse in Tilda Swinton in a creative double role as both a mother and daughter, the film delivers a solid watch that will nonetheless leave many wanting more assuming they haven’t already tuned out. Though it is a smaller production, it does quite a lot with a little. However, the film never truly came together.

The Eternal Daughter sees a filmmaker named Julie Hart (Swinton) and her elderly mother Rosalind (Swinton) return to their former family home which has now became a hotel are haunted by the secrets of their past. Intending to create a film about her and her mother, little did Julie know what the task would entail. Soon after their arrival, the two would be afflicted by the usual supernatural occurrences, more so Julie than Rosalind for whom her work was constantly interrupted. Meanwhile, learning more about Rosalind’s past in her former home brought along some bad memories for Rosalind which just made Julie feel guilty for having brought her back in the first place. Eventually, looking back at the past shifted focus towards the future as their time together at the hotel only exemplified how hard it was for Julie to tend to her ailing mother. In the end, the symbolism throughout the film, from the fog to the near ghost-like behavior, is pretty obvious but the film fails to go that much further with it. There’s the Julie side of things and then the relationship between mother and daughter, however, both did not work hand-in-hand enough to complete a well-rounded narrative as both lacked in depth.

Therefore, many will find themselves bored while waiting for something to happen. Ultimately, the failed build-up to its supposed climax made the moment when something actually happens, audiences will be baffled more than anything else. Ramping up the surrealist vibe to signify Julie’s internal struggle, it perhaps goes too far in the wrong direction. At the end of the day, the best part of the film was its atmosphere work. Through specific camerawork inspired by classic horror films and great sound design, it succeeds at creating an unsettling vibe to reflect the mood of the characters. However, that could only go so far.  What ultimately ties the film together are the dual performances from Swinton as Julie and Rosalind Hart. She is compelling to watch as both, making them feel like distinct characters. The decision to cast her as both characters looked to be a narrative-driven decision but Swinton is more than up to the though the lack of depth squandered where it could have gone.

The Eternal Daughter is going to be a divisive film that will be out there for some audiences but the pieces are there. Though fans of Tilda Swinton should maybe check it out, those pieces just never quite came together which is a shame.

still courtesy of Photon Films

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.