Greetings again from the darkness. Watching this film is how I imagine it would be to view a poem. It’s meditative and slow … somehow calming us as we contemplate the topics broached. Director Charlie McDowell (THE ONE I LOVE, 2014) and screenwriter Robert Jones have adapted the 1972 novel by Tove Jansson. Granted, it’s an unusual set up for a film shown anywhere outside of a film festival, yet because it is poignant and relatable, it’s an easy one to recommend.
Nine-year-old Sophia (newcomer Emily Matthews) arrives by boat on an island in the Gulf of Finland with her father (Anders Danielsen Lie) and her grandmother (8-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close). The well-worn family cabin has clearly been an annual retreat, and a simple straw hat clues us in to the fact that Sophia’s mother has recently passed away. Dialogue is relatively minimal here as we watch these three go through each day. The few interactions that occur are quite meaningful. The father, an illustrator who spends his time focused on work, is grieving deeply over his wife. Sophia is frustrated and longing for his attention. She tells her grandmother, “He doesn’t love me since she died.” It’s a heartbreaking moment.
The film’s best scenes are those with Sophia and her grandmother, a woman trying to fill a gap while also dealing with the reality of her age (a failing memory and worsening health). Grandmother is wise and recognizes this is her moment to pass along life lessons. These include social graces (with neighbors) and the joy of quiet moments. The three chip in to cultivate a struggling poplar sapling – seemingly transformed into a tribute to the departed mother and wife. A man we assume to be Sophia grandfather drops off a box of fireworks for Midsommer, and though he’s a no-show for the festivities (and duds), his inclusion of a special surprise for Sophia is a hit.
Grandmother urges her emotionally distant son to show warmth to Sophia, as she (grandmother) won’t always be around. It’s a rare film that covers grief, growing old, and growing up … any one of these would be (and has been) a central theme for many movies and stories. McDowell’s film is not one for showoff acting performances, yet Glenn Close and young Emily Matthews are so natural together, that we realize this is something special. In keeping with the film’s tone, composer Hania Rani’s score is serene, while including some wonderful piano. There is a moment when Grandmother answers a question with, “Life is long, Sophia”. She could have added, ‘except when it isn’t’.
Available on all major VOD platforms beginning October 21, 2025
Posted by David Ferguson 
Movie Reviews from the Dark 