'Hot Milk' Review - Familiar Threads Tied Together By Propulsive Performances

Geek Vibes Nation

3 days ago

There are flickers of madness billowing beneath the surface as Sofia (Emma Mackey) spends her days tending to her ill mother Rose (Fiona Shaw). Their mother-daughter bond is the epitome of a codependent relationship, and Rose takes on an almost vampiric facade vis-à-vis Sofia. She is zapping life and energy from her daughter, who has a straightforward desire to be free. Hot Milk is as much a battle cry for independence as it is a deconstructive and tragic character study. A pervasive sense of duplicity pervades the bewildered stares and fragmented discussions. A wide-ranging look at trauma and generational baggage, Hot Milk is far from a revolutionary enterprise. Still, it does possess a spirit thanks to the volatile performances by Mackey and Shaw.
Set in the scorching summer heat, in the Spanish seaside town of Almería, Sofia takes her mother Rose to consult with a shamanic doctor who possibly holds the cure to the mysterious illness that has left her in a wheelchair. The years of caring for her ill have zapped Sofia of any spirit or zest for life. However, that all changes when she meets Ingrid (Vicky Krieps), an enigmatic traveler who helps her shed her inhibitions and sets her on a course to break free from her controlling mother. As she wrestles with her guilt, resentments, and bitter trauma, the mother-daughter relationship begins to spiral out of control. Fiona Shaw and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release.
The greatest strength of Hot Milk is the pairing of Mackey and Shaw as daughter and mother. Their relationship is built on fragile grounds, and the film brings us into the fold from the start. Instantly, we are aware of the fractuous nature made as a result of Rose's condition. Through her dealings with the doctor (Vincent Perez) and her own conflicting statements, we begin to realize Rose's condition is more psychological than physiological. The tension is equivalent to someone dropping a match in a closet and letting the flame slowly burn until the house becomes completely engulfed.
Mackey projects a cautious demeanor at the start. Even as her patience grows paper-thin with her mother, she wears a mask. Her point of view is directionless as she goes through life, merely counting the days. At one point, her character is stung by a jellyfish, and it is in this moment that we see that Sofia is desperate to feel anything, even pain. Her life is a series of tragedies and entrapments; she sees the world moving past her while she remains in neutral, not unlike her mother. 'The Ugly Stepsister' Review - The Grimmest Fairy Tale Fiona Shaw and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release.
Enter Ingrid, who, as a character, is essentially an enigma, but she is not there to reveal much about herself or add little more than tangential specks to the story. Her function is a trigger for Sofia. As they fall into an intimate relationship, Sofia learns more about herself and ends up seeing Ingrid as a mirror image of herself. A woman beset by tragedy, forever living in the past. This revelation is a jumping-off point for Sofia, who sheds her wallflower demeanor and blossoms.
Now the film is clever as it never endorses nor rejects Sofia's transformation. Here is where the film works best as a character study. The destructive and controlling nature of Rose leads Sofia into a dark place. As the summer heat takes its toll, we see a change. Rose, for her part, remains the same, ultimately making this Sofia's story. She is the one transforming and, in a way, becoming free. Vicky Krieps and Emma Mackey in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's HOT MILK. Courtesy of Nikos Nikolopoulos. An IFC Films Release.
Conversely, the film suffers in part by playing with familiar material we have seen in countless films. Portrait of a Lady on Fire comes to mind. So, in a way, Hot Milk is not stale, but repetitive. In addition, the ending is likely to make it or break it for audiences. It is far from a shocking conclusion, but some may question if the construction of the story justifies it. For this observer, the ending has a payoff that, while expected, is the perfect conclusion for Sofia's character. Again, Mackey commands our full attention and leaves in both shock and awe.
Hot Milk is unlikely to start a whirlwind of discussion based on its plot, but the intricate nature of the story and the arresting performances give it something to say. Shaw proves indomitable, and Mackey is a wonderful chameleon as she blossoms from a wallflower into a wily wildflower.
Hot Milk is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of IFC Films.