I really wanted to love The Lost Girls. It had so many elements that I should have loved: multigenerational mothers and daughters, girl power, fantasy and mystery, and of course the connection to the beloved classic tale of Peter Pan and Neverland.

 

Unfortunately, for me, the elements of The Lost Girls didn’t quite come together well enough for me to truly love it. The film was sleepy at times, the special effects were low budget and a bit goofy, and the movie as a whole jumped around and didn’t quite gel.

 

That said, I did like the actors’ performances and there were other aspects to the film I enjoyed. I love the premise – that four generations of Darling women are continuing to struggle in the aftermath of their adventures with Peter Pan in Neverland.

 

I liked the mystery of not knowing whether the Pan and Neverland experiences were real or manifestations of a genetic emotional or mental disorder passed down from mother to daughter.

 

And I enjoyed the feminine, feminist take on the classic Pan tale. It always bothered me that Peter Pan simply wanted Wendy to come and clean up after him and his lost boys. Who would ever want that gig?

 

The presence of great actors like Vanessa Redgrave as the grandmother and Iain Glen as Hook elevated this film beyond the usual independent fare. That said, even the less well-known actors did a terrific job with their roles.

 

The Lost Girls left me wanting to seek out the Laurie Fox novel upon which it is based. I think with a bigger production budget and tighter direction, it could have been truly great.

 

If the premise of this movie intrigues you, then it may be worth a watch. We need more feminist takes on traditionally male stories – and it’s refreshing to see a film with so many women in lead roles and male actors as the supporting cast.