The connection between mother and child is the purest of them all. It’s an unsung story of love, devotion, connection and heart, somehow always knowing the truth. It’s the kind of concept no filmmaker can ever capture. Not like it’s impossible but it is hard. But did Kim Farrant manage to capture the different levels of mother-and-child connection in “Angel of Mine”?
Lizzie (Noomi Rapace) struggles to move on after the death of her infant child seven years ago. When she lost Rosie, she lost herself too, drawn into the grief she can’t either cope with or even move on. It impacted her marriage, resulting in a divorce from Mike (Luke Evans), with whom she shares a son. Now, in alternating weeks, Lizzie keeps getting distanced from her son, Thomas. Mike is determined to move ahead with full custody if Lizzie won’t collect herself. Seems it should have been an important sign for Lizzie to focus on her other child. But when she meets Lola, the seven years old girl of her neighbor, she is convinced – it is her daughter who was presumed to be dead.
“Angel of Mine” is a powerful and impactful drama about a mother who might have made up an idea in her mind that her daughter is still out there. As you watch Lizzie, you can tell, she most likely lost her touch with reality. But has she? As the story begins to unfold, we meet Lola’s mother, Claire and her husband Bernard and begins to stalk them. At some point, she loses her job, gets into a serious altercation with Mike and is on the verge of losing her son, Thomas, completely. But Lizzie’s heart of a mother tells her – risk everything and go after the truth. The truth, only one can hope, she is mentally strong enough to process.
It’s the second time Kim Farrant touches upon the complex mother and child connection. Her first attempt was with the atmospheric “Strangerland” starring Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman, and now this, “Angel of Mine.” As soon as you start watching it, it does not take long to realize the ending or even get the definite answer to yes or no. But the whole point is not whether Lola is Rosie or not. It’s what a mother does when it comes to opening up her heart towards the greatest love.
Lizzie knows the end game. She clearly understands the consequences of her so-called insane actions. Somehow, you never question her sanity because you realize how important this is for her. This is why Noomi Rapace was a great choice to portray the richly written character. She embodies Lizzie. Gives her voice and reasoning. We know she might be insane or even wrong but all that does not matter as you begin to cross the path with her in the film to follow her till the end. whatever that might be for Lizzie, you will believe her blindly; all the time.