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“Stopping The Steal” Review 
“Mr. McMahon” Review 
“Uglies” Review 
“Will & Harper” Review 
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“His Three Daughters” Review 
Nobody is ready for the death of a parent, even when you know it’s coming soon. His Three Daughters centers around three sisters preparing for the worst. They know their dad will be dying soon and try to make preparations. Frustrations and sadness stew and boil to a degree of uncertain awkwardness, where everybody handles the situation in different manner. It’s a perfect setting for some fantastic performances to bubble up in this richly written chamber drama.
The titular daughters are all distinct in their concerns for the nearly-departed father. Katie (Carrie Coon) is the shrewishly assertive daughter, growing aggravated over her sisters’ failure to complete a DNR and herself for not finishing the obituary. Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) is the easy-going daughter living with dad, due to inherit his apartment when he passes, making space for her weed smoking but also making her sports betting more lonely. Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) is the most emotional one, approaching this matter in a sensitive state where yoga exercises and speaking with her young child over the phone centers her perspective.
All three of them converge on the apartment for the final days of their patriarch, Vinny (Jay O. Sanders). As they debate their handling of the upcoming demise, they all display a bitter yet heartfelt way of coping as they continue to get advice and updates from nurses. Katie wants to do what’s best for dad by constantly criticizing Rachel’s care, from the food in the fridge to her smoking in the apartment. Rachel’s ease quietly turns into fear as she refuses to view her father in his dying state. Their clashing means of processing death places Christina in the unfortunate situation of being the one to prevent them from tearing out each other’s throats. They may never tear a jugular, but they do they get in plenty of punches to the heart.
With nearly the entire film set in the apartment (with Rachel taking some smoke breaks outside), this is a bittersweet hangout movie that’s mesmerizing to get lost within. Every actor is playing up to their strengths in the best way. Coon gives a dominant performance of an insecure mother who puts up a tough front for the rockiest of family events. Lyonne has a natural ease to how she casually smokes outside, making easy conversation with everybody, including the security guard who comes outside to inform her not to smoke. With her raspy, relaxed cadence, she struggles to mask the fact that her lazy days of watching sports will be without her pop. Olsen always has this look where she’s about to cry and her sweetness mixed within the sadness makes her such an enduring emotional anchor that you’d always want around when conversations get heated. Combine this with Sanders’ one-scene moment of last-minute connection with his girls that is equal parts heartfelt and tragic and this is a brilliant ensemble.
His Three Daughters simmers with drama that gets the best out of its perfect casting. The rollercoaster of emotions progresses at a uniquely natural pace where it never feels like the actors are trying to munch on a scene for as much melodrama that they can devour. The ticking clock (or beeping machine) of the father’s death coats every scene with anticipation, anxiety, and catharsis. The turbulent family exchanges carry greater impact with each scene, where little moments stick out of Rachel believing dad was dead based on how Christina sits in a chair. For as much heated drama as there is in this film, there’s also plenty of charm, where the departure of the women is delivered with a song from youth that is as touchingly tragic as it is silly with a punchline of relief. Sometimes, you just need a little laugh when facing an inevitable existential dilemma, and this film finds just the right moments to evoke warm-blanket comfort.
