Olivia Colman plays an academic on vacation in Greece. While hanging at the beach, she becomes fascinated by a young mother (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter. Watching them brings back memories of her past, when her offspring were younger and she faced challenges as a mother (this younger version is played by Jessie Buckley). Since this was written and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, you can expect the focus to be on the actors. Colman turns in another captivating layered performance, as does the rest of the cast. Since it’s set in Greece, there’s a lazy resort-locale pace that reflects other character-driven imports. Although the meandering narrative may frustrate some, it remains a sensitive and interesting examination into the expectations of motherhood. 
(3.5 / 5)
