As the Canadian catalogue of Netflix continues to increase,
so does its number of hidden gems. Based on a recommendation, I checked out
Luiso Berdejo's 2009 film The New Daughter. Berdejo's name may not be familiar,
but he has played a significant part in the rise of Spanish horror in recent
years, collaborating with Paco Plaza & Jaume Belaguero on their [REC]
franshise.
After divorced writer John James (Kevin Costner) moves into
a secluded estate, his daughter Louisa (Ivana Baquero) starts exhibiting some
bizarre behaviour.
Striking out on his own, Berdejo's debut feature is an
impressive outing. Out of all the possession films we have seen over the past
few years, this is by far one of the most engaging. It is frustrating that this
film received a paltry limited release, while something as painfully insipid as
2011's The Devil Inside was plastered on every street corner, digital ad and
movie screen for months. Comparing those two films is a disservice to The New
Daughter though. Berdejo's film more closely resembles last year's The Possession, in that it features a father trying to discern if his teenage
daughter's erratic behaviour is normal, or whether there is something more
sinister afoot.
Costner is terrific as the father struggling to keep the
pieces of his uprooted family together, and the two children, always integral
to a movie like this, are both solid in this. I have to especially commend
Ivana Baquero on her performance. Even though her role as the title character
didn't feature a ton of dialogue, there was a physicality to it that required a
great talent. It wasn't until after that I realized she was also Ophelia in
Pan's Labyrinth. What a difference three years can make!
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Ivana Baquero as Louisa James in The New Daughter. |
Perhaps what I most appreciated about this film was the
inherent lack of CG. I have seen so many films of late overuse visual effects
out of laziness, rather than necessity. Berdejo understood this, and it gives
certain sequences way more resonance because of it. Although, I do have point
out one scene toward the beginning of the film, when Louisa was looking out her
window. I felt the film gave away much more information than was needed.
Leaving it out would have prolonged the mystery of what we were actually
dealing with for so much longer.
Speaking of the mystery, the lore of this film was well
executed. It felt like an avenue that few films have travelled, making it
somewhat unique. I'm not sure I liked how the film wrapped up, but there's no
denying that last shot was a wonderful piece of filmmaking.
I highly recommend adding The
New Daughter to your Netflix queue, as it features good performances, great sound
design and a well told and fresh take on an old story.
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