Movie Review - Lost Girls

Director: Liz Garbus
Genre: Drama/ Crime
Runtime: 95 minutes
Year: 2020
Starring: Amy Ryan, Gabriel Byrne, Thomasin McKenzie, Oona Laurence

Description: When Mari Gilbert’s (Amy Ryan) daughter disappears, police inaction drives her own investigation into the gated Long Island community where Shannan was last seen. Her search brings attention to over a dozen murdered sex workers.

Review: The case of the Long Island serial killer has occupied the minds for almost a decade. Most of the victims were prostitutes and some of them were dead for years when they were found. The estimated number of murders is between ten and sixteen. Some of the women were hard to identify, since only parts of them were found. But the case of Shannan Gilbert has always been a doubtful one.
Especially the police and FBI have their doubts if the 24-year-old woman was one of the victims of the not yet to be caught murderer. Her mother Mari and experts are sure Shannan’s case is one of them. This Netflix film keeps close to the truth, since it’s based on the book by Robert Kolker. Director Liz Garbus is known for her documentary work, but a drama film is something else. A thing she hasn’t quite mastered yet.
Until the conclusion of the film, you are watching a dragging film that sometimes causes frustration. Not only because of the attitude of the authorities, but also because of Amy Ryan’s character. Of course you can understand the anger, grief and desperation the mother feels, but did they really have to make her a manipulative and black-mailing bitch? There are many moments you just want to push her away, so that the police can do their work, since she is interfering and threatening constantly.
The stronger moments in the film is were you see the ‘mother’ Mari, who works hard to keep the lights on, her moments with her daughters, even though she knows she is not the best mom Mari tries to make it work.
I didn’t like this film, it was a bit boring and the characters frustrated me. Sad that a tragic story like this didn’t get a better film.

Rating: 2 / 5