The Eternal Daughter (2022) User Reviews (48)

Tilda Swinton carries the entire film, but it's not enough.

[olcare · 5/10 · 9 January 2024]

After finishing the movie, for a moment, I thought I didn't understand anything and missed the deep meaning, but later, after reading several reviews, I realized I hadn't missed much. I also grasped the very simple plot twist in the film. That's when I felt a great disappointment.

Tilda Swinton gives a truly powerful performance, both in the role of the mother and the daughter, and it's a bit of a shame that her performance is not fully utilized. The film's only twist is that the mother doesn't actually exist, but the effort to reconcile with her internally and conclude the story. However, apart from turning the color palette of the seemingly deep film from black to light to reveal this mystery, did the screenplay need to connect that mystery to something?

The mother-daughter relationship is always special and involves different dynamics. Despite Tilda Swinton's tremendous acting in this aspect, the screenplay falls short. Despite trying to create tension with simple sequences and a gray mist, as a viewer, I didn't feel tense. It was intriguing, yes, but without logically connecting it to something, it didn't make much sense.

The locations and camera angles were beautiful, but it seemed like they went overboard with the mist to create an atmosphere, and there was no need for such an exaggeration.

When the woman couldn't sleep in the hotel and got tense, I had imagined a nice harmony of drama in a setting-horror film. However, there is no satisfying conclusion about finishing the book, which the film focuses on, and no beautiful ending regarding the tension of this setting that I mentioned.

In short, I think Metacritic's score of 80 is related to the acting and atmosphere. But thrillers are much more than these two details. It is a straightforward, well-acted, not as deep as it seems, a regular drama thriller with a flat ending.

5.2/10. Watchable but not recommended

[athanasiosze · 5/10 · 20 December 2022]

This is not a horror or a mystery movie. This is a drama disguised as a drama/horror mystery. And that's why it fails.

Swinton is amazing as always. It's unreal how convincing she is playing both the mother and the daughter. I mean, i was moved by "their" relationship, these were adorable characters. I really felt their feelings for "each other" and that is kinda insane because the viewer forgets that they are the same person. Hence the 5 stars.

However, this is not a good movie. I didn't mind the slow pace, but this movie has the most unnecessary twist of all time. Unnecessary, illogical and, dare i say, conniving. Because there are some scenes that contradict this particular twist, during this movie. Most of the people see it coming from the beginning of the movie, but then, the director convince the viewer that they got it wrong. And in the end, the thing that most of the people suspected, happened. Without any logical or paranormal explanation. Thus, as a viewer i feel cheated and i can't rate it higher.

This would be a much better movie as an art drama. No twists, no surprises. Just a mother and a daughter, their relationship and their feelings. I would enjoy this movie. You have Tilda Swinton in your movie, you don't need twists and turns. Go full drama, realistic as it gets. Psychological drama-mystery horror is another genre, much more complicated than it seems.

The Eternal Daughter

[CinemaSerf · 6/10 · 30 November 2023]

Honestly. If anyone says "Oh Darling!" one more time! Tilda Swinton is "Julie", a film-maker with a bit of writer's block who takes her elderly mother (I think she is called "Rosamund" but anyway, think Tilda Swinton but this time in a bit of latex and some of Margaret Thatcher's attire) to a remote country hotel. It turns out that this used to be a family home for her mother and she spent much of her younger life there with her aunt. From room to room they reminisce about what it used to be, what went on here - all whilst the wind outside blows as if we were watching "Black Narcissus" (1947). What happens now? Well, very little... There is lots of desperately polite and earnest dialogue - beetroot or feta? - as the two women edge ever closer to a birthday that is clearly tinged with increasingly sad, but unspecified, memories. The denouement - well it's a surprise to nobody, not even the frequently scene-stealing "Louis" (Swinton's own dog). Carly-Sophia Davies is quite effective as the downright disinterested hotel receptionist but that's about all we have to inject any life into this rather charmless and disappointing "ghost" story that really does underwhelm. Joanna Hogg definitely has a safe zone for her films. Well-heeled English folks in the media industry with even more well-heeled parents who all live in a world with little to do with any reality most of us will ever be able to relate to. A repetitive flute refrain does all that it can to introduce some mystery, but by half way through I was just "You are very welcome"'d out. It will look just as good on the television as it does on cinema screen so I'd save your cash, if I were you.

The Eternal Daughter

[henry8-3 · 6/10 · 22 January 2024]

Film maker Julie (Tilda Swinton) brings her mother, Rosalind (also Tilda Swinton) to an old hotel in the countryside as it approaches her birthday, hoping to make a film about her. This was Rosalind's family home when she was young and Julie hopes this will help her recall events from her youth. It does though resurrect uncomfortable memories for both of them.

I'm not an unqualified fan of Hogg's work and indeed here it more or less seemed clear story wise what the direction of travel was going to be. So whilst this is more drama about mother / daughter relationships and the sadness of our past, it is also a creepy, atmospheric ghost story full of really fun ideas - why are they seemingly the only guests, what's with the rude receptionist / waitress etc. It's never scary - not that sort of film - but ultimately it all works and fits nicely together thanks to Hogg's direction and 2 excellent performances by Swinton.

The Eternal Saunter...

[Xstal · 3/10 · 3 December 2022]

There's a hotel that's quite vacant and disturbed, full of ghosts that haunt themselves, it's quite absurd, lots of creepy mist and fog, a really, really lovely dog, and a receptionist presents with some discord. A daughter with her mother settle in, proceed to babble on, the dialogue's quite thin, if you'd made a reservation, you'd need more than just salvation, if you had the room next door, double or twin. There's little to engage or get you thinking, as events unfold, or don't, you'll just start blinking, then your eyelids slowly close, just like Louis you will repose, and into slumber, start to fall, gradually sinking.

A Slowburn That Never Catches Fire

[brentsbulletinboard · 6/10 · 19 January 2023]

One effective way to tell a tale of suspense is to employ the atmospheric slowburn approach, one that quietly but chillingly sizzles as it leads up to what is eventually (and supposedly) a startling revelation. However, writer-director Joanna Hogg's attempt at pulling this off in her latest offering falls short, protractedly smoldering but never really catching fire. When a middle-aged English filmmaker and her aging mother (dual roles played by Tilda Swinton) pay a hoped-for nostalgic visit to a vintage country hotel that was once their extended family's manor house, they set their sights on their stay giving them a chance to relive fond memories and to resolve certain aspects of their complex, sometimes-distant relationship (an irony given the devoted daughter's earnest attempt at being a loving, dutiful caretaker). But, almost from the moment they arrive, things don't play out as anticipated; events unfold with a surreal, unfathomable awkwardness in a setting befitting a gothic ghost story. So what's going on here? That's what the film seeks to explain. Unfortunately, there's not a whole lot to tell here, the story ultimately being more tedious than suspenseful, frequently relying on astonished reaction shots to things that mysteriously go bump in the night to carry the story forward. And, when "the big reveal" finally comes, it emerges more with a whimper than a bang (especially since it's not particularly difficult to figure out what's coming anyway). While the film is stylistic to a fault in terms of skillfully creating a suitable ambiance, the accompanying narrative is rather anemic by comparison. It's almost as if the storyteller is spinning a vague yarn, one told with kid gloves, a nagging frustration for those expecting something with more of a bite to it. While there's a definite purpose behind this, given the picture's attempt at exploring elements of the mother-daughter relationship typically not addressed in films like this, this set of restrained attributes nevertheless inhibits this offering from ever developing much of an edge to it (yawn). To the film's credit, it features yet another fine performance by Swinton, but it's regrettable that she's not given much to work with. And, even with its comparatively short 1:36:00 runtime, the picture somehow manages to seem like it's far longer. Indeed, in this case, "eternal" is something applicable to more than just the wording of its title.

Never justifies its existence

[jtindahouse · 4/10 · 5 December 2022]

'The Eternal Daughter' is listed as a mystery drama. The only mystery I had an hour into the film was what exactly the point of me watching it was supposed to be. The film has no plot. It has no intrigue. It has no purpose to exist. This was a very disappointing experience.

Short of Tilda Swinton (in dual roles) being her usual watchable self it was pretty hard to find redeeming qualities in this film. It's is extremely slow - which is always going to be the case when we are effectively just watching a woman's uneventful stay at a hotel.

Thankfully this one is reasonably short, but I can tell you those 96 minutes will draaag. A generous 4/10.

misty emotional landscapes

[mravawishes · 9/10 · 31 July 2023]

I am shocked to see the negativity in so many of these reviews - personally, the movie blew me away and I thought it was quite fabulous.

It is an understated story portraying entirely one woman's psychological and emotional state at a particular point in her life. All of the scenery, the direction, the pace, the objects, the marvellous cinematography perfectly came together as a crystallized whole. The entire atmosphere of the movie can be thought of as an externalization of the protagonist's mind, her character traits, and her feeling of 'lowkey' entrapment.

There's not much by way of a plot, and there's not a second where the movie speeds up - it moves at its own languid, disquieting pace from start to finish. Much is left unsaid, unexplained - there is little solid structure to latch onto, so the only way to watch this movie is to surrender to Swinton's terrific + intelligent performance and let the scenes speak for themselves.

(Oh, and I thought the 'twist' was brilliant - it really elevated the entire movie for me.)

Good drama, but missed opportunities!

[slabihoud · 7/10 · 3 November 2022]

A film with Tilda Swinton is always worth watching and so is this one! Though I have to say that I expected a little bit more after I read about the film at the Viennale (Vienna International Film Festival). What irritated me were the tags ghost story, supernatural, spooky and so on. Not that I expected a real horror movie, far from it. But not such a lame attempt of a ghost story.

The film starts out with a scene of a foggy country street and a lonely taxi coming along, quite evocative of old Hammer films of the sixties or early seventies. The main setting in an old country mansion turned hotel was a good choice. As was the rather unfriendly receptionist/waitress/housekeeper who raises a lot of questions in the mind of the viewer and is a highlight of the film. The mother and daughter conflict is very subtly done and evolves beautifully the longer they stay at the hotel, and the absence of other guests is quite unsettling.

But, being in a lonely hotel would make even completely relaxed people jumpy and here we have someone who is in a very difficult stage of her life and we could expect much more unusual things for her to hear or see other than what we get here. Tilda Swinton does her best to make us fell uncomfortable, but with this script there is not much to do. A little fog, some creaky trees and a shot of the moon, my, this is what you get in every other episode of Midsomer Murders, I am sorry to say! That is not upsetting or disturbing anymore, in fact it is a cliché and more of a parody. Besides, we all have seen films of people in empty hotels before and therefore you have to bring some new ideas to this setting.

When the film ended I was disappointed, there would have been chances to lead the viewer around but they are missed. I have guessed from the beginning what is reveiled at the end and that did not satisfy me either, I hoped that some twist eluded me, but no.

"The Hollow Eternal Dragging"

[utkarshraj-98720 · 2/10 · 1 February 2023]

Imagine "The Sixth Sense" but Bruce Willis goes on to handshake and have 2-way conversations with real people. This is exactly the movie.

Also Nothing happens in it's entire runtime.

ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. How can a movie that has no story whatsoever go on to have 95% Rotten Tomatoes score is beyond my understanding. No wonder they are called "pretentious reviewers". It even ended on many year end lists.

And what a wastes potential man! They had a perfect gothic horror setting, a haunting background score and a brilliant actor like Tilda Swinton. But in the end they went for Shallow Nothingness.

Tilda Swinging brings her dog

[hoogmeulen-08540 · 8/10 · 13 August 2023]

To this interesting movie. A foggy park and a sinister mansion, the evening sets in. A mother and her nervous daughter move in to a hotel, that seems empty. Later on you will understand why. There is some work to be done for us, the public. I like that. There is enough dialogue in our daily lives... The scenarist must have been busy erasing his lines. Or hers. Then suddenly an unexpected guest moves in and reliefs the tension. It changes your perspective and gets you ready for the ending. Well done there! And indeed, there's a little bit of John Cleese in there. Subtle and strange, yet heartwarming. Like TS.

Interesting film, but with a slow pace...

[Erundil3 · 6/10 · 4 December 2022]

Normally I like most of the movies Tilda Swinton starred in, not all, but most of them.

"The Eternal Daughter" could have been something more than what it is if perhaps more suspense had been added, maybe a few more characters. It could have been a great "Ghost Story", but probably the director did not want this from the film she created. The scenery and the entire "environment" from the hotel would have permitted that.

The film wants to emphasize the mother-daughter relationship and the mark that some people leave on our lives, even after they pass away.

However, I was disappointed by the somewhat slow pace in which the story was conceived.

Very nothing

[ncoleby · 3/10 · 5 December 2022]

Biggest spoiler is really that I knew the 'twist' from the very first scene in the cab. I hoped the whole time to be wrong, but I wasn't.

So I watched the whole film with knowing what was going on and it made it even more boring. I held out though.

The acting wasn't even that good to be honest, sorry Tilda fans.

The only actor that shone like a beacon of light and made me think how he was so spot on in so many scenes, was Louis the Spaniel. Hope he's going to get many more roles, a talent undiscovered.

One thing that I didn't get either was the role of the slightly dodgy receptionist. When I say slightly dodgy I mean ever so slightly. Still polite but with a problematic boyfriend. I hoped there was a reason for this peek into a normal young woman's life, but there wasn't.

I do not recommend this film unless you want something on in the background that doesn't make much noise. This would have even been obvious and boring as a short film. I gave it a 3/5 because it wasn't the worst film I've ever watched, but it certainly was the least surprising mystery in a film and without it, the film becomes useless and tedious.

Headline: "The Eternal Daughter" - A Compelling and Eerie Exploration of Family Relationships and the Passage of Time

[FilmFanatic2023 · 7/10 · 7 December 2022]

I recently had the opportunity to watch "The Eternal Daughter" and was struck by the film's eerie atmosphere and strong performances from Tilda Swinton and Carly-Sophia Davies. The film follows Julie, a filmmaker, as she travels with her mother to a creepy country estate to research her latest project. The setting and mood of the film are deeply unsettling, and the way time is portrayed as porous adds to the overall sense of unease.

One of the standout aspects of "The Eternal Daughter" is its focus on the relationship between Julie and her mother. The two women are enmeshed in each other's lives, and the film explores the complex emotions that arise when Julie learns about her mother's past. The performances from Swinton and Davies are strong and convey the tension and discomfort in their interactions.

Overall, I found "The Eternal Daughter" to be a compelling and eerie exploration of family relationships and the passage of time. The film's moody atmosphere and strong performances make it worth watching.

"I had a memory...in this room."

[erinjames-57670 · 1/10 · 28 August 2023]

"Yes.. mm hmm.. it was this very room. Was it this room, mum? Hmmm..... I remember. Yes. This was the room. Yes. I have a memory! Of this room.... This room, mummy? Mm hmm. Yes. I believe it was this room. I remember, the memory....in this room."

Imagine Tilda Swinton and latex aged Tilda Swinton having variations of the above conversation, in various rooms of some funky old British looking hotel, for 96 minutes. Oh, and I see dead people- literally see them coming from the FIRST scene.

I would possibly be a bit more forgiving of this film if it were a first time director, but it isn't. There is nothing, and I do mean NOTHING tra-la-la! Redeemable about this. I felt my intelligence insulted by its pretension. I never write reviews, but this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen in my life, and I've seen a lot more than your average person. Dreadful.

Misunderstood

[abdalazizahmad · 7/10 · 22 April 2023]

A far eastern movie called "The Assassin" had once left martial arts fans frustrated and bored because the critically acclaimed 2015 Hou Hsiao-hsien movie was actually a drama and not an action movie. What we have here is a similar case. The Eternal Daughter is a drama in a horror theme. Make it in black and white and remove the spooky soundtrack and it's an Ingmar Bergman.. a bit. Human suffering is always a scary thing and for that the horror theme actually worked. Visually i found the movie fun to watch. It is very beautifully shot.

If you enjoy slow raw dramas, watch. If you don't, avoid because this is not a horror movie.

A horror film gone wrong!

[abeeralhossary · 1/10 · 3 December 2022]

To read that this film got two nominations in a film festival made me eager to watch, but honestly I wasted my time watching it!

The empty hotel, the foggy atmosphere, the cold, the strange sounds, the tombs, all were supposed to make you expect more of ghost stories and a secret to be revealed! However, nothing surprising happened!! Even the ending was really so odd and not surprising at all!!

Such a bad movie, I would say! I do not advice anyone to watch it. It is boring. The story can be a social drama, but not mystery or horror!!

In addition, having the same actress playing the mother and daughter is another reason to make me more confused !!

Haunting exploration of grief, loss, relationships.

[Opinate · 8/10 · 27 December 2022]

No, it's not a horror film and if it is billed as such horror fans will be severely disappointed when they spend time and money on this drama.

Eternal Daughter is a slow, moving, heart-felt exploration of mother-daughter relationships, shades of memory and the grief and despair of losing a loved one.

As such, it is a beautiful, moving film and I encourage anyone in the mood for a gothic, haunting, superbly acted and executed film to go see it!

Tilda Swinton is such a great actress and this role was made for her. The direction is perfect. The location moody and remote which adds a delicious layer of creepiness.

Good enough!

[M0n0_bogdan · 7/10 · 11 February 2023]

With a atmosphere thick enough you can cut it with a knife, Hogg takes us on a personal trip just like with the other two works of her, The Souvenir films, where everything is more of an introspection, a cinematic retelling of an event of her life that also works as catharsis for emotions and closure.

Tilda Swinton is an artistic treasure, as always making it flawless and understated and she uses this haunted and haunting hotel to great effect, making it feel alive with every creak and wind whistle.

But yeah, the direction where this was going could be seen from the first scenes, even if Hogg tried to hide it...the knowing is part of the experience, it should not the effect of a plot twist. So it's more of a psychological horror.

pay your grandma a visit. much more exciting!

[simonmattera · 1/10 · 17 January 2023]

Yeah its about grief and all. But honestly, this was painful and makes you think to use your time more wisely. Also the double role gives it right away that she checks in alone- no surprise or plotwist there. At least they could have made the dialogues more intriguing. Nope- u don't get much out of those either. The intentional faded colors, makes you wanna correct the contrast constantly, its so bleek the whole time. It's definitely the worst movie i have seen with swinton in it. Normally i consider her as a guarantee of good films cause she choses her roles wisely. Don't know what drove her to do this project???

Poignant Story With A Neat Twist

[JoshuaMercott · 8/10 · 14 December 2022]

First Impressions:

As gothic ghost stories go, "The Eternal Daughter" was a sublime arthouse tale brought to life with subtlety and literary flair. What the movie lacked in speed it more than made up for with engaging performances and exceptional direction.

The Crew:

As both writer and director, Joanna Hogg did outstanding work.

Ed Rutherford's cinematography was captivating.

Grace Snell's costume design was great.

Set decoration and art direction were amazing.

Production design and special effects were remarkable.

Sound effects and editing were superb.

I'm not sure who scored the movie, but the music was notable and gave off yester-era vibes.

The Cast:

Tilda Swinton as both Julie Hart and Rosalind Hart was brilliant.

Carly-Sophia Davies as the hotel receptionist was great.

Joseph Mydell as an unnamed hotel staff member was quite good.

Plot Summary & Analysis:

Despite being a fan of Tilda Swinton for several years, I am still taken by surprise each time I see her in a new project. Every role she chooses comes wrapped in artistic fervor and delivered with classic thespian excellence.

In "The Eternal Daughter", Tilda took on the dual role of both mother and daughter. She didn't look all that different in either role and yet succeeded in convincing me that I was watching two actresses in separate roles instead of just the one acting as both.

Tilda played an artist returning to her ancestral home - now a hotel - where she and her mother gradually peeled back the layers of select secrets, not to mention a small world of memories.

Joanna Hogg's direction and screenplay cleverly balanced the plot and hid the brilliant final twist until the moment came.

There was no overt paranormal activity in this movie, but that didn't quite matter to me. Because the script was impressively poignant and simple enough to keep me hooked.

Final Notes:

This movie was worth watching simply for Swinton. Her performance was sublime and every scene in which she featured held my attention, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a fan.

That twist near the end was artfully executed. In addition to Tilda's double acting, it was worth sitting through this movie to catch that emotional reveal.

I'm so, so sorry, Louis

[biljao258 · 3/10 · 5 December 2022]

Louis, the casting director was so inspired when you were given a key role in this movie. Your talent really shone through as you captured "affection", "endearingness" and "faithfulness" - you also really nailed "valor" as you chased the 'ghost' (?) down the hall. How were you to know that the writer/director based the movie on a single concept story with some rather obvious twists. And then even resorted to several hackneyed 'gothic horror' tropes. Yikes, even a big-name star was not enough. But them's the breaks of the movie industry, Louis. Even a talented actor such as yourself can end up in what some may see as a turkey of a movie. But hopefully, this will lead to bigger and better roles for you.

The Eternal slumber

[refbumrulz · 1/10 · 20 December 2022]

I'm not kidding. This was the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. I can say that because I never actually watched Ishtar.

This movie must have cost a few thousand to make. Why anyone would begin to think this movie was the least bit enjoyable is beyond me.

Boring, boring, slow pace, little dialogue followed up by more boring, boring boring. I'd be ashamed to make a movie like this and have my name on it.

The one thing I truly hate is when someone watches a movie and decides to rate it and then they log onto this database and you see a bunch of bots have rated it a 10.

You can sit back in your chair, preferably a recliner in case you fall asleep, and watch this movie and wind up asking yourself "What were they thinking?" Who wrote this? There was very little dialogue in the entire movie. Very little. All I can say is that it must have been written and shot in one day. It was that bad.

No NOPE No Way

[HumphDoesItAgain · 2/10 · 8 December 2022]

This movie was chock full of absolutely nothing! Have you ever tried to have a conversation with your mom or grandma in a doctor's vacant waiting room? Well this movie was much like watching that take place for 96 minutes.

There was zero mystery in this movie. There wasn't even as much as a hint of a ghost story and even the genre drama is even pushing it! The hotel itself was very nice looking & the Brittany Spaniel was adorable & extremely loyal but even he slept thru most of the movie. I'm guessing the main reason for having Tilda Swinton play the 2 main characters was due to the lack of interest from other actresses to be a part of his movie. A24 ya really let us down this time.

The Eternal Daughter

[vvegaeck · 10/10 · 22 August 2023]

It seems that the movie I saw is not the same the other critics saw. Begining with the title that is not very appropriate, I did not find any gothic elements. It is a movie about loss. About bereavement . It is a movie for women, about women attitudes and feelings, about never being able to fulfill the dead one desires, mother or father. I mean women feel that way and men do not it seems. It is a guilty feeling for your inability to satisfy your mother or father, and now they are dead. This is even clear with the colors of the end, which become more vivid. To be blunt, I found that the male point of view darkens the understanding. El.