This touching and heartfelt drama recently released on Netflix has made many people reach for tissues. The film looks at the painful experience of watching a loved one die. It shows how family members try to make their final moments peaceful and happy, even while struggling with their own feelings.
Some people believe it helps to have close friends and family around during such tough times, while others think it is easier to handle alone.
This film is essential for anyone who knows how complicated it can be to work with family members you may not be close to during a crisis. This article will explain everything you need to know about His Three Daughters.
When Was ‘His Three Daughters’ Released?
His Three Daughters had a limited theatrical release on September 6 and became available to stream on Netflix on September 20. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9, receiving positive feedback from those who watched it.
Many viewers praised the film for its emotional depth and realistic portrayal of family dynamics during a difficult time. The performances of the cast, especially the three sisters, received special mention.
Critics highlighted how well the actors captured the struggles and complexities of their characters, making the audience feel deeply for each sister.
Watch the Trailer for ‘His Three Daughters’
In the trailer, viewers get a glimpse of the three daughters struggling with their father’s impending death. The trailer sets the tone for the film, showcasing the emotional weight of the story. Each sister has a different personality, leading to conflicts among them.
For example, Katie’s controlling nature often clashes with Rachel’s more carefree attitude. Eventually, they realize they must accept their differences and support each other because they are the only ones who understand this situation fully. The trailer also hints at some lighter moments, suggesting that humor plays a role in the sisters’ interactions, even amid their grief.
Who Stars In ‘His Three Daughters’?
Carrie Coon plays Katie, the eldest daughter. Katie communicates in a direct way and sees things in a black-and-white manner. She feels comforted by trying to control situations, even those she cannot. Katie keeps her personal life private and focuses on her father’s care.
Carrie Coon is from Ohio and is known for her roles in Gone Girl, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, and the series The Leftovers. Her portrayal of Katie adds depth to the character, showing the audience her vulnerability and the heavy burden she carries.
The second daughter, Christina, is played by Elizabeth Olsen. As the middle child, she seeks perfection and works to keep the sisters together. Christina tries to mediate conflicts using “gentle parenting” methods to maintain peace and understanding.
Elizabeth Olsen is best known for playing Wanda Maximoff in various MCU films. Her performance as Christina reveals her character’s struggles to hold the family together while dealing with her own issues, making her a relatable figure for many viewers.
Natasha Lyonne plays Rachel, the youngest sister. Rachel has lived with their father during his battle with cancer, while her sisters live farther away. Although her older sisters view her as childish and aloof, she has been there every day since his diagnosis and uses marijuana to cope with her emotions.
Natasha Lyonne is recognized for her role in Russian Doll and Orange Is The New Black. Her portrayal of Rachel adds a layer of complexity, as she grapples with feelings of isolation and the weight of caring for her father.
Rudy Galvan plays Angel, the hospice care worker who supports the sisters and offers advice. Galvan has also appeared in Ghostwriter and Megan Is Missing. His character serves as a calming presence, guiding the sisters through their emotional turmoil.
Jovan Adepo plays Benjy, Rachel’s boyfriend, who shares a moving moment with Katie and Christina, despite his limited screen time. His character adds another layer of emotional depth to the story, as he provides support to Rachel during her struggles.
Stil from His Three Daughters (Credit: Netflix)
The father, Vincent, is played by Jay O. Sanders. Vincent brings the sisters together during his final days and reminds them that their bond will grow after his passing. This pivotal role emphasizes the importance of family and connection.
Lastly, Jose Febus plays Victor, the superintendent of the apartment building, sharing light moments with Rachel. His character adds a bit of levity to the story, offering a different perspective on the sisters’ struggles.
What Is ‘His Three Daughters’ About?
His Three Daughters feels like a stage play, mostly taking place in one location with a small cast. The film focuses on the conversations and personalities of the characters. Rachel, Christina, and Katie come together as their father transitions from hospital to hospice care while fighting cancer.
Each sister has a different way of dealing with pre-grief, causing tensions, especially between Katie and Rachel. Christina tries to mediate but is also busy with her seemingly perfect life.
Katie struggles with her husband and kids but does not talk about it. She often criticizes Rachel’s lifestyle, treating her like a teenager.
This is complicated by the fact that Rachel was adopted by Vincent after he remarried. Despite having no blood relation, Rachel shares a close bond with their father, causing guilt for Katie. The film shows the realities of life and the different ways people handle tough emotions.
As the story unfolds, viewers witness how the sisters confront their past, their family dynamics, and their individual feelings about their father’s condition.
They reflect on their childhood memories, their relationships with each other, and the choices they have made in their lives. The film beautifully captures the messiness of family life and the emotional struggles that come with it.
The official synopsis from Netflix reads:
From writer-director Azazel Jacobs comes this bittersweet and often funny story of an elderly patriarch and the three grown daughters who come to be with him in his final days.
Katie is a controlling Brooklyn mother dealing with a wayward teenage daughter; free-spirited Christina is separated from her offspring for the first time; and Rachel is a sports-betting stoner who has never left her father’s apartment. Jacobs follows the siblings over three volatile days as death looms, grievances erupt, and love seeps through the cracks of a fractured home.
Who Made ‘His Three Daughters’?
His Three Daughters is written, directed, and produced by Azazel Jacobs, known for French Exit and The Lovers. He directed episodes of the HBO series Doll & Em. Jacobs has a knack for capturing family dynamics and the emotional complexities that come with them.
Stil from His Three Daughters (Credit: Netflix)
Cinematography is by Sam Levy, who has worked on films like Lady Bird. His work beautifully complements the film’s tone, enhancing the emotional depth of each scene.
In addition to Jacobs, Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen also produced the film, with Maya Rudolph as an executive producer.
The collaboration among these talented individuals contributes to the film’s authenticity and emotional impact. The film’s production team worked hard to create a setting that feels intimate and relatable, drawing viewers into the sisters’ world.
Final Thoughts
His Three Daughters is not just a film about death; it is a story about life, love, and the bonds that hold families together. It challenges viewers to reflect on their relationships with their own family members and the complexities that arise in times of crisis.
The film’s emotional depth, combined with its realistic portrayal of family dynamics, makes it a must-watch for anyone who appreciates stories about the human experience.
Stil from His Three Daughters (Credit: Netflix)
The performances of the cast bring the characters to life, making their struggles relatable and heartfelt. As viewers follow the sisters’ journey, they are reminded of the importance of understanding, compassion, and forgiveness within families.
This film resonates with anyone who has faced loss or followed complicated family relationships, making it a powerful and moving experience.
Who gets to play what parts? The film industry has many roles that make us ask: was this really the best choice for this role? Writer-director Aaron Schimberg’s latest film, A Different Man, looks at these questions through a very dark and absurd comedy, with elements of body horror.
It feels almost as if Charlie Kaufman tried to remake The Fly. A Different Man is very uncomfortable and constantly asks questions, proving to be a bold film that does not go down easily.
What Is A Different Man About?
Sebastian Stan plays Edward, an aspiring actor who feels uncomfortable in his own skin due to his facial disfigurement. He is awkward, and shy, and mostly stays alone in his small, dirty apartment. His new neighbor, Ingrid (Renate Reinsve), is a writer who promises to create a role for Edward in her next play.
Edward decides to join a new medical trial that will supposedly fix his deformity. After some time, pieces of flesh start peeling off his face, and the man underneath now looks like Sebastian Stan.
Later, Edward claims his old self is gone, and he finally has the confidence and appearance he always wanted. He becomes a successful realtor, and his coworker gives him the nickname “Fabio.”
One day, Edward finds out that Ingrid is putting on a play called “Edward,” and the now handsome actor decides to audition for the role based on his former self.
Still from A Different Man (Credit: Grand Motel Films)
While he wins the lead role in this play about his old life—without Ingrid knowing he is her inspiration—he feels challenged by another man, the confident Oswald (Adam Pearson), who helps with the play and looks a lot like the old Edward.
Before his transformation, Edward feels like the world is against him. His ceiling leaks black goo, people stare at him on the subway, and the tumors on his face make it hard for him to hear. In the first part of A Different Man, it almost reminds us of the heavy and oppressive world in Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid.
We see Edward’s uncomfortable life through his eyes and feel his constant struggle. Edward’s world is almost too much to handle, with jarring sound design that makes us worry about how his life could get worse.
The first half of Edward’s story feels suffocating, contrasting with Oswald’s life once he arrives. Schimberg’s approach can sometimes feel too harsh to our sympathetic lead, as if he is punishing Edward for mistakes he will make later.
Sebastian Stan and Adam Pearson Are Brilliant Together in A Different Man
Stan is excellent as Edward. He hides behind his deformity, which is very different from how Oswald stays positive despite his appearance. This makes Edward a very shy character who mostly wants to avoid the world. Stan’s performance shines during Edward’s transformation.
Even with a handsome face, he still moves through the world as he used to, with slumped shoulders and trying to stay invisible. Even after becoming a new version of himself, his unhappiness comes from new sources, as he starts to retreat into himself again.
Stan shows both sides of Edward with different types of sadness, capturing a person who realizes that his problems were not solved by just changing his looks.
A Different Man starts to gain momentum with Oswald’s arrival, especially when Edward sees how outgoing Oswald is and feels jealousy.
Pearson plays Oswald very well as a person everyone likes, but also as someone we can understand why Edward would dislike. Every time someone praises Oswald, or when Oswald is more lively than Edward, it feels like a personal attack on Edward.
Watching the balance between Stan and Pearson gives us these two actors at their best. It also allows Schimberg to raise larger questions about exploitation, representation, and how we treat people with disabilities.
Schimberg does this through his increasingly absurd story, which heightens Edward’s insecurities about who he was and who he has become. However, Schimberg seems more interested in pushing this ridiculous idea rather than making a strong statement about these issues.
As Edward, Oswald, and Ingrid start to work together on the play, we see questions about who should play what roles and how important it is to consult the people being represented. But these questions never feel as interesting as the funny aspects of Schimberg’s film.
Schimberg’s view of identity and representation has good intentions, but the wilder parts of A Different Man often overshadow the important themes in the film. Still, the performances of Stan and Pearson and their balance with each other, along with the questions Schimberg raises, are definitely worth showing in this wild story.
A Different Man, directed by Aaron Schimberg, is a dark and absurd comedy that shows identity and representation in the film industry. Sebastian Stan stars as Edward, an aspiring actor with a facial disfigurement, who feels uncomfortable in his own skin.
Still from A Different Man (Credit: Grand Motel Films)
After joining a medical trial to fix his deformity, Edward undergoes a dramatic transformation, gaining confidence and a handsome appearance. He discovers that his neighbor, Ingrid, is writing a play about him, leading him to audition for the lead role.
However, he faces challenges from Oswald, a charismatic man who resembles his former self. As Edward show his new life, themes of jealousy, exploitation, and the importance of representation emerge.
The film combines unsettling elements with sharp commentary, featuring strong performances from Stan and Adam Pearson, ultimately raising important questions about who gets to tell certain stories and how we view those with disabilities.
