Dream trip with stumbling blocks: two women looking for freedom

Dream trip with stumbling blocks: two women looking for freedom

A touching trip to Switzerland with unexpected twists and turns is the focus of Lucy Fricke's bestseller. Two women, Martha and Betty, both in their mid-40s, set off to drive south with their terminally ill father. This narrative combines themes of friendship, loss and personal insecurities. MDR reports that The two women have been close friends for 20 years, but are struggling with their own family hardships and professional challenges.

The trip to Greece, which goes beyond the original goal, becomes a journey of self-discovery for the women. They laugh at the meaninglessness of some life events and come to deep realizations about themselves and the world around them.

A complex father-daughter relationship

The film “Daughters”, which visualizes the story, highlights the tense relationship between Martha and her father Kurt, who gives the impression that he wants to have himself killed. Martha, who sees herself as an accomplice, has car trauma from a past accident, which is why her best friend Betty takes over the driving. Cinema Time highlights, that the two women feel a great burden on the trip, which is further intensified by verbal arguments between Martha and Kurt.

Kurt suggests a trip to Lake Maggiore before getting serious about his decisions. However, the scenery on Lake Maggiore awakens a desire for freedom in the women, which leads them to visit the grave of Betty's stepfather in southern Italy.

Critical reception of the film

Although the filmed story shines with excellent landscape shots, the film is often criticized. The character development is described as erratic and the humor gets lost in many problems. Martha, played by Alexandra Maria Lara, appears erratic and manic, while Betty, played by Birgit Minichmayr, also shows strange behavior that is later explained as drug use. Kurt's role, embodied by Josef Bierbichler, is perceived as stoic and flashy, leaving him little room for impressive acting performances.

Overall, “Daughters” is perceived as reasonably entertaining, but with weak character development; the most successful gags already appear in the trailer. Despite the problems, the film offers a picturesque setting that evokes the dreamboat feel while the characters remain trapped in their inner turmoil.