His Three Daughters (USA, 2024)
In His Three Daughters, Azazel Jacobs brings us into the emotional pressure cooker of a small New York City apartment, where three very different sisters—Katie (Carrie Coon), Rachel (Natasha Lyonne), and Christina (Elizabeth Olsen)—are forced to spend their father’s final days together. Katie is tightly wound and stressed about every little thing, Rachel is the carefree rebel who prefers to bet on games and smoke weed, while Christina tries to keep things calm with yoga and positivity. As they sit together in this confined space, unresolved tensions from their past quickly bubble up, and it doesn’t take much for a friendly conversation to spiral into heated arguments. Years of hurt and unspoken grudges between Katie and Rachel resurface with even the smallest misstep, while Christina attempts to mediate and keep things civil—though not always successfully.
What makes this film so engaging isn’t the serious backdrop of a dying parent, but how surprisingly fun and relatable it is. The tension between the sisters bubbles up in their chaotic but genuine family dynamics, filled with bickering, tender moments, and some genuinely funny scenes—like when the fed-up sisters humorously challenge a nurse who keeps declaring their father’s imminent death, only for him to keep hanging on.
The heart of His Three Daughters lies in its performances. The actresses bring life and complexity to their roles, and it’s easy to find your loyalties shifting as you watch each sister reveal new layers of herself. While the film keeps things mostly light and avoids a full-blown emotional explosion, Jacobs balances the confined space of the apartment with moments of fresh air and quiet reflection outside, keeping the pacing lively.
Sure, the film occasionally holds back when it could go deeper—especially with Christina’s character, where one pivotal conversation seems to cut off just as it’s about to reveal more about her. There’s also a moment toward the end with the father that feels a bit too on-the-nose, spelling out themes that might have been more powerful left unsaid. Yet, these minor missteps hardly detract from the film’s charm. The chemistry between the leads, paired with witty writing and sharp direction, makes it easy to get caught up in the messiness of their love for each other. By the end, you’ll be glad you spent time with them.