Review of Gideon's Daughter (2005) by Jim H — 28 Nov 2010

I came for Bill Nighy; I stayed for Emily Blunt. About fifteen minutes into the film, Blunt's character sings a song, "Papa," that captivates everyone - the audience on screen, including her father, and the film's audience (and if anyone in the internet ether can get me an MP3 of this song, I'd be grateful). The song is stunningly beautiful in its melody, lyrics, and mysteriousness. Even at the end of the film, we're not entirely sure what she meant or even if she meant anything at all, but the memory of that performance propels the film along.

It is the story of a British PR man who has lost interest in his work and lost the ability to connect with his daughter, the only person with whom he desires any relationship. The film is essentially a character study, but it rises above a mere presentation of people to an area of profundity that can only be compared to An Accidental Tourist. It becomes about parents and children, the pain of letting go after life and death advance and the stark, unfortunate realization that children will never love their parents as much as parents love their children.

With strong, understated performances by Nighy and Miranda Richardson, Gideon's Daughter is a gem not to be missed.