Lost Girls (2020) Movie Review

 

Lost Girls | 2020 | 1h 35m
Genre: True Crime / Whodunnit / Crime / Drama / Mystery / Thriller | Country: US
Director: Liz Garbus | Writers: Michael Werwie, Robert Kolker
Cast: Amy Ryan, Thomasin McKenzie, Gabriel Byrne
IMDB: 6.2
My Rate: 8/10

The police not responding properly to her report forces Mari to take matters into her own hands to search for the whereabouts of her daughter. Especially when several other female bodies are found around Long Island, prompting Mari to conduct a deeper investigation.

Warning:

Contains strong language

 

Synopsis:

Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan) is preparing with her two daughters, Sherre (Thomasin McKenzie) and Sarra (Oona Laurence), to welcome the arrival of her eldest daughter, Shannan. However, Shannan never shows up, leaving Mari disappointed. Mari assumes Shannan might have other business to attend to.

Mari begins to feel something is wrong when someone calls her house looking for Shannan. Sherre also says she’s unable to contact Shannan, and Shannan’s boyfriend even calls her looking for Shannan. Mari becomes worried and starts seeking information about Shannan’s whereabouts.

After obtaining the necessary information, Mari tries to report the disappearance to the police only to receive an unsatisfactory response. The authorities do not take the case seriously. Thus, Mari decides to conduct her own investigation.

Four bodies are found at the location where Shannan disappeared—fortunately, Shannan is not among them. Initially, Mari refuses to meet with the families of the other victims, but the attitude of the police eventually drives her to take action. With the help of the victims' families, Mari tries to attract the attention of people in the area as well as the media.

Unwilling to let the case be forgotten, Mari continues to fight for justice—not only for Shannan but also for the other victims. Will they find a satisfying answer?

 

Review:

Lost Girls is a film based on the nonfiction book Lost Girls: An Unsolved American Mystery by Robert Kolker, which was written from a true story about an unsolved serial murder case that occurred in Long Island, New York. This case remains ongoing and has yet to be resolved, although several suspect names have surfaced.

This film presents the story in proportion and does not attempt to dig deeper into the case by pinning blame on any particular party. The main focus is to show the perspective of the victims' families who suffered loss and to highlight the negative stereotypes surrounding the status of the victims, as well as the failure of the police in handling the situation.

The character development is not deeply explored, especially for Shannan, the main character being searched for, as well as some of the other victims in the film. The audience is given very little explanation about them. Even so, the story remains fairly enjoyable.

The story foundation is solid, starting with Mari expecting Shannan to arrive home and feeling disappointed when she doesn't show up. She then notices strange clues like a stranger calling her, Shannan’s boyfriend contacting her sister, and Shannan’s phone being inactive. These elements provide a strong basis for Mari to begin searching for Shannan.

The conflict is presented gradually and systematically. It begins with the police's failure to respond to Mari’s report, which stirs anger within her. The discovery of other victims' bodies adds to her panic, though she still hopes Shannan is alive. Her past is also revealed, indicating that she was not a great mother. All these aspects create a strong internal conflict within Mari.

So far, this internal conflict is the most prominent and serves as the backbone of the story, making it interesting. On the other hand, the mystery-related conflict is not portrayed very well. We don't see a captivating investigation, an optimal search process, or internal police conflict regarding the discovery of the bodies. The story focuses more on the internal emotions of the victims' families.

The story’s resolution is done very well, especially by showing the real-life figures from the actual events, which makes the story more touching. The film’s main goal is achieved—Shannan’s discovery and Mari beginning to come to terms with her guilt. We also see the character development of police officer Richard Dormer, who finally agrees to listen to Mari and proceed with the search.

The ending of the story is very touching. The audience can feel the sadness, anger, and frustration experienced by the characters. This is heightened by a strong performance from Amy Ryan as Mari. Performances from Thomasin McKenzie as Sherre and Oona Laurence as Sarra are also quite good. The supporting cast delivers fitting performances for each character.

Many might feel frustrated by the depiction of the police as completely unprofessional and incompetent in their work. However, if we look at the true story, this portrayal effectively reflects the actual situation. The disappointment felt by the families is conveyed very well and also felt by the audience. Imagine reporting a missing person only to be informed of their death, a matter treated as unimportant and even a joke by some officers.

The cinematography and transitions are done quite well. The intro, showing a scene where Shannan is running while being chased by a car, serves as a strong opening. Important details needed for the story’s continuity are also well presented.

The choice of music and sound effects also enhances the atmosphere of the story. One memorable moment is when Mari cries in the car accompanied by a woman’s raw and pure vocal hum. It deeply evokes a feeling of sorrow.

Overall, this film is quite compelling to watch, especially for those who enjoy stories based on real events.

 

Memorable Scene:

Mari crying in her car after Sherre discovers that Mari left Shannan to live in a foster home. This is further worsened by the police's decision to remove Shannan from the search effort related to the body discoveries in Long Island. The scene shows Mari's guilt over what happened to Shannan and her regret over not being a good mother.

As a mother, one often faces problems that are hard for others to understand—especially when raising children alone. Many difficult decisions must be made, even if they turn out to be poor ones. Therefore, as much as possible, we should not judge others simply because we don't know their life stories.

 

Memorable Dialogue:

"They say not knowing is worse than knowing, but I'm not sure."

 

Ending:

Sad Ending

 

Recommendation:

Worth to Watch

 

(Aluna)