A heartwarming film about life, death, family and relationships
Father-daughter relationships are special to many but the bonds that siblings share are unique, and often hit or miss. With three siblings struggling to find their bond which is long lost, while tending to their terminally ill father on his deathbed, His Three Daughters is an emotional roller-coaster.
The film narrates the story of a terminally ill man named Vincent who is on his deathbed when his biological daughters – Katie and Christina show up to take care of him. Living with Vincent is his step-daughter Rachel who has been taking care of him throughout the years.
Now as the three daughters try to navigate their interpersonal relationships as well as their respective bonds with their unconscious father, Vincent struggles between the line of life and death.
His Three Daughters is a particularly emotional watch that does not make the death of a parent very melodramatic. The daughters have come to terms with the fact that their father will die anytime soon and are dealing with this on their own terms.
The movie starts with an argument between the sisters which keeps on piling on and escalating into more and more arguments. This leads you to believe that there is no resolution for the three sisters. However, viewers can see how these arguments are solved only because of their mutual love for their father.
The film will make you tear up towards the end but it makes for one of the most satisfying watches of 2024. The movie is exceptionally well directed and the cinematic choice to keep the father inside the room until the final moments of His Three Daughters is a stupendous idea.
Vincent, played by Jay O. Sanders, has one of the most tear-jerking monologues in the final moments of the film. We see three different personalities with the three sisters as Carrie Coon plays Katie, the older and practical sister who has a hard time communicating with her siblings.
Natasha Lyonne plays Rachel, the hot-headed middle sister who masks her true feelings to appear strong on the outside. Elizabeth Olsen who plays Christina, the understanding youngest sister becomes a mediator between her two sisters.
The performances from all three sisters are very well done. We see how simple details like, the apartment fridge being stocked only with apples, are important to paint a clear picture of Rachel’s character. His Three Daughters is a hard-hitting film that sheds light on the sacrifices made by children who tend to their old and disabled parents.
This film puts the Polish proverb, “the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb” into perspective as we see Vincent’s biological daughters putting their respective families and personal lives first while Rachel, despite being Vincent’s step-daughter living with Vincent and taking care of him during his life-long battle with cancer.
His Three Daughters is an emotional journey and one film you should not skip.
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Verdict - 9/10
9/10