THE SOCIAL COMMENTARY IN THE FILM

This film touches on themes of isolation and loneliness, a need for belonging, religious oppression, alienation, trauma, and mourning and grief.

For a full breakdown of the social commentary in The Blackcoat’s Daughter, check out our episode of TheNecronomi.com with screenwriter Jamie Flanagan HERE.

WHAT I LOVED

Kiernan Shipka’s performance is absolutely stunning. My favorite scene is at the beginning when she’s in the headmaster’s office and she’s having a conversation with him, but she’s really having two conversations, we just don’t know it yet. The way she’s not present while still trying to hold both conversations is intoxicating and sets up the rest of the film really well.

The atmosphere was fantastic. I’m not normally a fan of slow-building tension, as my attention span normally can’t handle it, but in this situation it was wonderfully done.

I also really enjoyed the soundtrack.

WHAT I DIDN'T

The pacing was slow and the non-linear storytelling was interesting, but they worked so hard to attempt to hide what was happening that it felt like it worked against them as well. There’s a clear lack of real character development, but that almost seems purposeful as doing so would mean giving away the twist.

I did not like how they made the man who gives Joan a ride seem like a villain. I think it’s an interesting idea, but the execution on it was all wrong. They tried to make him a red herring and instead it just made everything more convoluted. I would’ve much preferred if his wife was a bad person.

FAVORITE PARTS

Definitely the scene with the headmaster and Kat at the beginning of the film.

Props to the scenes at the end, when the boiler no longer works and she’s left without her god.

OTHER THOUGHTS

This film definitely tried interesting stuff and it was pretty original in its approach. I enjoyed it a lot.

Listen to our podcast episode on The Blackcoat’s Daughter HERE.