REVIEW: HIS THREE DAUGHTERS

4/5

Their Father's Keeper.

101 Mins. Starring: Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen, Rudy Galvan, Jose Febus, Jasmine Bracey, Jay O. Sanders & Jovan Adepo. Screenwriter: Azazel Jacobs. Director: Azazel Jacobs. On: Netflix.

In their father's house, 'His Three Daughters' on Netflix come together for the first Academy Award worthy movie of the year. Let's just hope Oscar doesn't forget this best picture because it came early for the fall, like when a stifling summer feels like it is simply switched off for autumn. Played out like it belongs on stage (Broadway, anyone?), the drama in this family affair is anything but theatrical, but this new Netflix favourite deserves its time in theatres like a 'Marriage Story'. Sure, the most successful streaming service may not know how to make the biggest of blockbusters (does anyone remember 'The Gray Man', or 'Red Notice' for that matter?), but it knows how to make Oscar fare ('Maestro', 'Nyad', 'Passing') like it does sensational shows ('Stranger Things', 'Ozark', 'Squid Game').

In a cramp and emotionally claustrophobic New York City apartment, the amazing Azazel Jacobs ('The GoodTimesKid', 'The Lovers') scripts and directs a heartbroken family, emotionally bruised with the shots they take at each other's souls. But it's the top-billing shared by Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen that really hit it home. This big-three are estranged like this magnificent movie isn't from the festival circuit, premiering in Toronto, but everyone always comes back home. Faced with something no one wants to go through, but a cross we all have to bear, they may take pieces out of each other, but what they mean to one another cuts much deeper. Even if they don't know what to do with themselves, and an ailing father crossing over between a DNR and the hope to hold on. This type of heavy drama deserves heavyweight acting, and that's precisely what Coon, Lyonne and Olsen prescribe us. 

Carrie ('The Leftovers', 'Gone Girl') is so Big Apple born she has a Metro card permanently in her phone case. She may know how to make it in this city, but she'd go anywhere to escape the fact that she always has to play the bad guy. Natasha ('Poker Face', 'Russian Doll') toughens it out in this life's winter in NYC, by smoking and betting on sports with her boyfriend. But what some may see as a life laying to waste actually affords something of much stronger, and more sincere, substance. Meanwhile, Elizabeth ('WandaVision', 'Ingrid Goes West') is in the middle of it all, trying to please people, all whilst missing her own new family that may be across America, and a quick dialled up video chat, but may as well be a million miles away to a new mother. All three show sides of them you know, and deeper and darker shades you don't appreciate in your fellow person until you ask. Usually with a scathing comment, instead of a searching question. Either way, these three best actresses deserve to all be a nominated by the Academy in the same category, and even share the award.

Parlaying into 'Five Little Ducks' for a sibling story as traditional as a children's song, there is more on this bill than the big-three. Rudy Galvan and Jasmine Bracey play care workers helping or hurting the situation, whichever way you see it, in equal doses of heart and cold, cruel world realities. Whilst Jose Febus is fabulous as a much more sympathetic security guard in such a real New York courtyard, Nas could have cut a record's album cover here. But it's the father himself, Jay O. Sanders ('The Good Wife', 'Revolutionary Road'), who speaking of Broadway (or off-Broadway) has Drama Desk and New York Drama Critics' Circle awards to his name, and Jovan Adepo ('Fences', 'When They See Us'), the 'Babylon', 'Watchmen' and 'Mother!' star reuniting with Olsen after the Facebook Watch drama 'Sorry For Your Loss', who steal the show somewhat in the scenes they are in with their stirring speeches. We simply shan't spoil. Just like they won't the light of the three daughters that shine one on our own home truths. This story of a sisterhood travelling back home is a keeper. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: 'Good Grief', 'Still Alice', 'Our Little Sister'