Whoever said that you can't make a film these days in a small apartment in downtown New York with a production window of just two and a half weeks has been proven wrong with Azazel Jacobs' most recent feature film 'His Three Daughters'.
This movie is a pivotal player in the heated debate between low-budget and high-budget productions, proving once more that great cinema can be achieved without huge financing and limited locations.
'His Three Daughters' follows the story of three middle-aged women whom all share the same Father, as they come together and (attempt to) put their differences aside in what seems to be his final few days.
The film provides us with a simple but realistic insight as to what a unique scenario like the one that our three female protagonists find themselves in would look like. With such a strong subject matter at heart, the majority of the tones throughout the film are serious and dramatic, however Azazel Jacobs does his absolute best to find pure moments of humour and dark comedy to sprinkle throughout.
The filmmaker succeeds in doing so via the powerhouse vessel that is Natasha Lyonne. Although each of the three sisters have their own unique personality traits that contribute towards the toxic sister dynamic we see in this movie, it is Lyonne's portrayal of Rachel that is far and away the most eye-catching.
Whether it is the extravagant red hair or the 'down-to-earth' and realistic approach to life, Lyonne does an exceptional job at providing us with some valuable moments of light-hearted comedy. Despite this, the actress also shows off her incredible range by treating us to some of the most heart-breaking and emotional moments in this film, as the character attempts to stave off the invasion of her home by her two sisters in her Father's final days.
Elizabeth Olsen also provides us with arguably one of the best performances of her career. Her portrayal of Christina, the caring and 'well-together' mother of a three-year-old daughter plays a pivotal role in not only maintaining the unique sister dynamic that creates an interesting and entertaining trio, but also maintaining the peace between her other two sisters to prevent them from tearing eachother's heads off.
It could be very well argued that the purpose of this film is to prove to it's audience members that although we can sometimes find ourselves in some of the most horrifying experiences that life can offer, whether it be the death of a loved one or not, it is important to find humour and peace in these moments of suffering.
The strongest argument for this case can be found in the very last line of the film, comedically sang by the character of Rachel as the three sisters unite together in a moment of loss and grief.
'His Three Daughters' is arguably one of the most unexpected and pleasantly surprising films of the year. Whilst there are strong subject matters heavily involved with this film, Azazel Jacobs does a splendid job at allowing the characters to find moments of humour and comedy throughout to create what could be described as a heart-warming masterpiece.
PrimeTime Films Score: B
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