Category Archives: Mother-daughter relations

2014, Acceptable for teenagers, Action sequences, Arson, Austrian Detective, Bloody scenes, Boating, Buried Treasure, Crime, Disturbing Image, Divorce, Dysfunctional Lives, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, German, German Detectives, Greed, Gypsies, Illegitimate Child, MHz Choice, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Motorcycles, Murder, Murder Investigation, Psychological Drama, Revenge, Suspense, Trailer Life, Troubled Personality, Unmarried mother, Violent, Witchcraft

Murder by the Lake (2014)

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From MHz Choice:

With Germany, Switzerland and Austria sharing its shores, Lake Constance has stories to tell. German homicide inspector Micha Oberländer and his Austrian partner Hannah Zeiler try to discover its secrets and have a few of their own.

From MHz Choice you can stream two seasons of this  German-Austrian TV crime series which is shot at  Lake Constance.  Season one consists of 7 episodes. Season two consists of 3 episodes. All episodes last about an hour and a half.  German with English subtitles.

Germany and Austria decide to create a small detective unit with dual authority in both countries. Initially the German Micha and the Austrian Hanna don’t get along together.

Each episode is a self-contained crime and solution. Running throughout all 10 episodes are two themes:

  •     Micha’s marriage is unraveling, mostly due to the usual   detective cliché that he is always on the job.
  •     Hannah is a stone-faced cold young woman whose life was tormented by the disappearance of her father.  Eventually her father appears.

Probably Hannah will never succeed in a relationship. However as the series progresses a genuine friendship develops between Micha and Hannah.

If you can sit still for an hour and a half, then this series is worth the time spent watching.

2017, Binge worthy, Brother-Sister relations, Conspiracy, Corny at times, Cynical, DO NOT MISS, Drugs, Ethical struggles, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Financial malfeasance, Government cover-up, Government Prosecutions, Illegitimate Child, Jealousy, Lawyers, Love Story, Marital Infidelity, MHz Choice, Money Laundering, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Promiscuity, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Swiss banking, Tax Evasion, Transvestite theme, Unscrupulous drive to power

Banking District (2017)

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From IMDB:

A private banker goes into a coma. His sister becomes the director and finds out his coma might not be accidental as she finds obscure transactions her brother was involved in.

From MHz Choice you can stream the 6 episodes of season 1 of this French-speaking Swiss intrigue film with English subtitles.  Each episode lasts about 50 minutes.  IMDB seems to indicate that there is or will be a season 2 which, in my opinion, would be a shame.

REVISION for Season 2 which also consists of 6 episodes, each lasting about 50 minutes.

My above opinion about season 2 being a shame, is WRONG. Season two was just as good as season 1.  At least we know from the beginning of season 2 who the bad guys are. But now Elizabeth has the difficult task of removing the bad buys and cleaning up the bank ethics. However, the line between good and evil becomes increasingly blurred as the plot develops. Elizabeth has her troubles in spades. Expect cynical plot turns. And once again DO NOT MISS!

ORIGINAL review for season 1.

From the very beginning up to the very end there is a palpable atmosphere of intrigue, suspense, and danger (for the good guys at least).

Elizabeth Grangier is the black sheep of the Swiss Grangier banking family. In fact she is the black sheep because of her disdain for the crooked dealings of the Swiss bank.  More to the point, the whole series is an indictment of the shady Swiss banking system. We quickly learn that her beloved brother Paul, who lies in a coma for the entire season, was quite corrupt.  Besides Elizabeth, the only other honest adult seems to be her newspaper journalist former husband.   Impetus for most of the action comes from the United States hunt for American tax evaders.  Add murders to the mix.

Some details are left hanging.  Elizabeth cries a lot. We never meet the owner of the female phone voice that orders killings.  But the story grabbed me.  At last I have gotten used to and in fact admire the plotting technique in which the conclusion leaves many details hanging. Just use your imagination.

Despite some negative criticisms,  I rate this series a DO NOT MISS!

 

 

2017, Alcoholism, Blackmail, Bloody scenes, Brother-Sister relations, Creepy, Dark, Disturbing Image, Drama, Explicit sexual discussion, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Marital Infidelity, Masturbation, Medical Theme, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Netflix Streaming, Nudity, Occasionaly violent, Outrageous Behavior, Physical child abuse, Psychological Thriller, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Tragedy, Unusual, Unusual ending, Upsetting ending, Valium appropriate

The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

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From IMDB:

Steven, a charismatic surgeon, is forced to make an unthinkable sacrifice after his life starts to fall apart, when the behavior of a teenage boy he has taken under his wing turns sinister.

From Netflix you can stream this two hour complete film.

When I saw that the surgeon Steven Murphy was played by Colin Farrell and his wife Anna Murphy was played by Nicole Kidman, I was eager to see the film. Yikes!

“Weird” is the closest one word that seems to apply here. Other words might be “strange”, “creepy”, “outrageous” or “unnerving.”  Hopefully not everyone will even want to start watching after reading this review.  However, I was both hooked and horrified from the very beginning.

In Wikipedia you can find a discussion of the film but I have inserted below a summary from IMDB:

After the untimely death of 16-year-old Martin’s father on the operating table, little by little, a deep and empathetic bond begins to form between him and the respected cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr Steven Murphy. At first, expensive gifts and then an invitation for dinner will soon earn the orphaned teenager the approval of Dr Steven’s perfect family, even though right from the start, a vague, yet unnerving feeling overshadows Martin’s honest intent. And then, unexpectedly, the idyllic family is smitten by a fierce and pitiless punishment, while at the same time, everything will start falling apart as the innocents have to suffer. In the end, as the sins of one burden the entire family, only an unimaginable and unendurable decision that demands a pure sacrifice can purge the soul. But to find catharsis, one must first admit the sin.

In the film there are at times oddly explicit sexual discussions and situations.  Martin is played by Barry Keoghan whose physical appearance presents anything but a Hollywood type. Speech throughout the film is so stilted that it seemed I was watching a stage play.  Spoken lines, especially from Martin, seem at times inappropriate.

From the very stylistically rigid beginning and onward there was a sense of anxious foreboding that tempted me to stop watching this tragedy.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

2020, Acceptable for teenagers, Based on true facts, Bisexual theme, Classical musicians, Cult Brainwashing, Divorce, DO NOT MISS, Drama, Explicit sexual discussion, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Gambling, Gay theme, Good Acting, Hasidic Jews, Jewish Culture, Lesbian Theme, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Netflix Streaming, Religious Theme, Sex Scenes, Wife leaves husband, Wonderful acting, Yiddish

Unorthodox (2020)

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From IMDB:

Story of a young ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community to start a new life abroad.

From Netflix you can stream the 4 hour long episodes of this masterpiece.

At this point in April 2020  critics are raving about the film. For example you can find a discussion in the New York Times.  Unfortunately you must subscribe to the NYT to read full articles. From that review we read:

“Unorthodox” is loosely based on the best-selling 2012 memoir by Deborah Feldman, who left the Satmar sect of Hasidic Jews in Williamsburg and ultimately settled in Berlin.

In the film the young woman Esther Shapiro, who is called Esty, is played by the slight pixie of an actress Shira Haas.  Shira Hass is an incredible performer who presents her role to perfection. 

There are also short documentaries on the making of this film and how it strived for correct Hasidic details by hiring Hasidic men to help with the filming. Only the mink fur men’s hats are fake.

Constant switching between the past and the present, between New York and Berlin, might be a tad confusing.  Just keep in mind that the Berling portion of the film is fictional while loosely based on the memoir.

For me the most stunningly breathtaking moment in the film occurs when Esty auditions at a music school. We are talking real gooseflesh.

DO NOT MISS!

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Acorn TV, Amnesia, Boating, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Dutch, Dutch detectives, Extramarital Affair, Failing Marriage, Father-son relations, Forensics, Jealousy, Marital Infidelity, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Plot Twist, Postpartum Depression, Revenge, Suicide, Surprise Ending, Violent

The Schouwendam 12 (2019)

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From Acorn TV:

Decades ago, teenagers Olaf and Alice disappeared from the Dutch village of Schouwendam without a trace. Then an unknown man suddenly turns up in town with no memories but a clear resemblance to Olaf. The residents are forced to confront the mysteries of the past, but who is lying and who is telling the truth? As new fatalities occur, the community is riven with fear in this Dutch-language drama.

From Acorn TV you can stream this 10 episode one season Dutch mystery drama. Each episode lasts about 45 minutes. English subtitles. Now and then the characters speak English.

As this mystery proceeds, one by one residents of this small town are being murdered. Meanwhile the newly appeared “Olaf” who is suffering from amnesia keeps trying to discover if he really is Olaf.

As a subplot the young policeman Pim must contend with his wife and newborn infant because his wife is suffering from serious postpartum depression.  This becomes relevant to the mystery solution.

To help Pim a new superior  woman detective Karlijn van Andel  arrives on the scene.  Her personal story also becomes relevant to the plot.

Be prepared for a very surprising final episode.

Well worth your time.

2013, Amazon Prime, Bisexual theme, Ethical struggles, Explicit sex, Gay theme, Hebrew, Israeli culture, Masturbation, Mostly About Sex, Mother-daughter relations, Nudity, Occasionaly violent, Rape, Sexual Tension, Thought provoking

Snails in the Rain (2013)

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From IMDB:

Tel Aviv, Summer 1989. Boaz, a beautiful and alluring linguistics student, receives anonymous, male-written, love letters that undermines his sexual identity and interfere with his peaceful life with his beloved girlfriend.

From Amazon Prime you can stream this 1 hour 21 minute Israeli film with English subtitles.

In this well-made gem of a film, the bisexual Boaz is tormented by his homosexual tendencies and fantasies which add conflicting tensions in his relation with his live-in girl friend and lover Noa.  One major aspect of the story is: just who is this male stranger that is writing love letters to Boaz?  Because Boaz is handsome he continually gets admiring glances from women and men. With each such male admiring glance Boaz asks “Is he the one?”

Be prepared for much explicit straight and gay sexual activity . For example to relieve his sexual frustration, Boaz visits gay cruising spots in the park.  But his personal conflicts lead him often to be brutal to Noa and confrontational with male advances.

You will just have to watch the film to see what Boaz’s decision is because I will never tell.

2019, Acceptable for teenagers, Accidental Death, Drama, Failing Marriage, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Good Acting, Good Brother - Bad Brother, Identity Theft, MHz Choice, Mother-daughter relations, Norwegian Drama, Police Investigation, Small Town, Surfing

Twin (2019)

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From MHz Choice:

Kristofer Hivju (Game of Thrones, Beck) stars in this dual-identity thriller. After the accidental death of his upstanding twin, a ne’er-do-well surfer bum assumes his brother’s identity.

From MHz Choice you can stream the 8 hour-long episodes of this Norwegian drama.  English subtitles are provided.

Hivju plays both twins, Adam and Eric.  Adam is a successful businessman whereas Eric has always been an irresponsible, willful  free spirit.  For years the brothers have been at odds.  After all those years of separation, Eric appears on the scene. During Eric’s visit Ingrid Williksen, Adam’s wife, accidentally kills Adam. She persuades Eric to pretend he is Adam until Eric can disappear.  You learn all this at the beginning of the story. More than that I will not reveal. But this is a worthy drama involving suspicious police, a confused daughter, and a conflicted wife.

Good acting and plot make this series worth watching.

2010, Acceptable for teenagers, Acorn TV, Ambiguous Conclusion, Bloody scenes, Boxing, Corruption, Crime thriller, Deaf person, Detective, DO NOT MISS, Drug Dealers, Ethical struggles, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Father-son relations, Happy Family Gatherings, Irish Detective Series, Mother-daughter relations, Murder Investigation, Police Corruption, Police cover-up, Police Culture, Police Politics, Suspense, Thriller, Uncle-Niece relations, Upsetting ending, Valium appropriate, Violent

The Silence (2010)

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From Acorn TV:

Deaf teenager Amelia (Genevieve Barr, Liar) wants to adjust to the hearing world and escape her overprotective parents (Hugh Bonneville & Gina McKee). But when she witnesses a murder, it jeopardizes the career of her homicide-detective uncle (Douglas Henshall, Shetland) and endangers her whole family. “A stunningly well-made thriller…taut, suspenseful and earth-shatteringly well written” –Express.

From Acorn TV you can stream the 4 episodes of this Irish thriller. Each episode is about an hour.

Talk about tense! In Shetland Douglas Henshall’s character DI Jimmy Perez is calm, thoughtful, persistent, and competent.  In “The Silence” his detective character Jim (characters as found in IMDB have no last names) is persistent, competent, not corrupt, however anything but calm.  And no wonder! His deaf niece Amelia witnesses one corrupt cop murder another cop by running her down with an automobile.  Jim is faced with protecting her while fighting to convince his fellow officers that there are clever, bent cops in the precinct who murder and are drug dealers.  Moreover, because of his exasperated demeanor those bent cops can easily persuade Jim’s  colleagues that Jim has mental problems, which reminds us of Trump’s method of discrediting anyone who disagrees with him.

You will probably recognize some of the other actors such as:

From IMDB we learn some personal facts about the deaf actress Genevieve Barr:  Genevieve Barr was born deaf and normally uses hearing aids. For her role as Amelia, who has just had a cochlear implant fitted, she was required to remove her hearing aids. She also had to learn sign language which she had never done before because she had always relied on her hearing aids supplemented by lip reading.

You might be astounded, disappointed, angry, puzzled, or all of the above after the last (fourth) episode finishes. But that is a notable feature of British plots:  why waste time on the details of an expected warm-feeling finale?  You can figure out for yourself what will happen next. However, if it makes you feel any better, rest assured there are many “outraged” reviews. Here is just one such review from IMDB:

What a Shame!

jeanjeannie3815 July 2010
I watched this, potentially brilliant, mini serial for each of its four days. Each day I really looked forward to the next episode. However, having now watched the whole series, I have reached the conclusion that the drama should have continued for five days instead of four. The fourth episode could very easily have concluded with a cliffhanger concerning the main character. This would have enabled the drama to end in a much more satisfying way. Instead, after watching four days of a truly gripping thriller, the ending was very disappointing. I don’t think merely leaving your audience with a good idea of the probably outcome of a drama is a patch on concluding with a fully rounded ending. Instead of the series concluding in a way that left me pleased I have invested my time and energy in it, I was left feeling it had been cut short because the writer (or director) had simply run out of steam. On the plus side the acting, especially of those playing the two leading characters, was first class.
…
Don’t listen to them. This is one really good thriller!
DO NOT MISS!
2009, Abuse of Women, Acceptable for teenagers, Amazon Prime, Bloody scenes, Cold Cases, Corruption, Detective, Mother-daughter relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Pedophilia, Police Corruption, Prostitutes, Revenge, Sex Scenes, Surprise Ending, Unmarried mother, Violent

Murderland (2009)

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From IMDB:

A thriller that tells a traumatic murder story through the eyes of three central characters: Carrie the daughter of the murdered woman, Douglas Hain the detective in charge of the investigation, and Sally the murder victim.

From Amazon Prime  you can stream this 1 hour 57 minute full film.

Douglas Hain is an unhappily retired police detective. Carrie runs away from her wedding ceremony because she feels she cannot lead a normal life until she finds out who brutally stabbed her mother to death.  In a determined way Carrie starts digging which leads her to Hain who was the detective that worked on the unsolved cold case.

First impression is that Hain was the killer because he was romantically involved with the victim.  As the story develops using many flashbacks,  little by little the crime details come forth. Expect a bit of a surprise ending.

Sharon Small (played Rose Marshbrook in The Bay which we recently reviewed)  as Dr. Laura Maitland is one of the more familiar actors.

Nothing to criticize in this well-acted suspense thriller.

 

2019, Abduction, Amazon Prime, Boating, British, British Mystery Series, Brother-Sister relations, Crime, Detective, Drug Dealers, Drugs, Extramarital Affair, Family Conflict, Father-daughter relations, Marital Infidelity, Mentally impaired person, Missing Person, Mother-daughter relations, Mother-son relations, Murder, Murder Investigation, Sex Scenes, Suspense, Teenagers, Torture, Violent

The Bay (2019)

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THIRD SEASON:

This hit original crime drama returns with White Collar’s Marsha Thomason as DS Jenn Townsend, who must get under the skin of a complicated family to solve the death of a young aspiring boxer.

From Amazon there is now a third season each of whose 6 episodes last about 45 minutes.

Lead detective is a newcomer D.S. Jenn Townsend, played by Marsha Thomason.  Her personal difficulties conflict with her investigation into the beating death of one of the sons in a Muslim family headed by the mother Miriam Rahman, played by Rina Mahoney.

D.S. Townsend is divorced and is now living with her two children and a new lover Chris Fischer, played by Barry Sloane.  Chris has his own two children, one of whom is very difficult and quite nasty toward one of Townsend’s children Conor. Conor is desperately unhappy and wants to return to his father.

In the Rahman family in addition to the dead boxer son, there is a troublesome Adnan and deaf-mute Jamal. Fortunately Townsend’s sidekick D.S. Karen Hobson, played by Eric Shanagher, knows sign language and can communicate with the devout Muslim Jamal.

Another great season well worth watching.

SECOND SEASON:

From Amazon there is now a second season also with 6 episodes and a complete story.

Acting and plot continue to be worthwhile watching.  Once again the human interest is at least as important as the crimes (plural) involved.  Lisa starts out as an underdog in the police department but by the end of the 6 episodes she shines at the top while having suffered along with many other characters in the interim.

Still very much worth a watch.

FIRST SEASON:

From Amazon Prime:

When Family Liaison Officer Lisa Armstrong is assigned to a missing persons investigations, it initially seems like any other – tragic, but all too familiar. This time, it is especially challenging for her not to get emotionally involved.

From Amazon Prime you can stream the 6 45-minute episodes of this TV series. It may be called Season 1 but any following season does not seem likely because the story is complete in 6 episodes.

If everyone involved is somehow badly affected in a plot, is that plot called a tragedy?  This story comes across as bad news for all the characters.

Telling you how the story starts is not a spoiler since it happens immediately at the beginning.  You see the officer Lisa going out for a “girls night out” in a night club.  She hooks up with a stranger and they have sex outside in an ally behind the club.  From then on the plot thickens. Murder, drugs, delinquent children, infidelity, assault, and missing persons are all on the list.

Among the delinquents are Lisa own two children. Fortunately her mother lives with her and usually substitutes for Lisa who is too often called away with some emergency.   Holly, the missing girl, is a member of the dysfunctional Meredith family which has the usual problems (unfaithful dad, etc.) and also has a live-in grandmother.  These two families have real problems with their children, and their lives intertwine.

Similar to many such detective series, but the human interest in the 6 episodes held our attention.