Canadian survival thriller Someone’s Daughter may seem on the surface to be a typical stuck-in-the-wilderness flick. However, in the vein of Sam Raimi’s excellent Send Help, this film has much more on its mind. After a riveting cold open that leaves the kidnapper dead, two unlikely people must work together to make it off an island before they run out of food and succumb to the realities of nature. François Arnaud and Pascale Bussières are the unlikely pair, playing a convicted rapist and a cutthroat lawyer, respectively. However, out here in the wild, all bets are off. Exploring interesting gender dynamics, cancel culture, and the power of public opinion, Someone’s Daughter is a compelling watch that fascinates with its moral ambiguity.
At the top of the film, Sam (Bussières) is transported first by car, then by boat to a deserted island. At first, the captor’s motives seem a little murky, but by the time he drops Sam at her final destination, all has become transparent. This is an elaborate revenge plot for the man’s recently-deceased daughter, who passed from a fentanyl overdose. Fifteen years earlier, Paul (Arnaud) was on trial for an alleged rape of the victim, Lydia. However, he was acquitted of all charges, and let loose. Sam must team up with Paul, whom she finds drugged and gagged inside of a small cabin on the property. Their dynamic is instantly intriguing, with Paul’s fear of heights and Sam’s inability to swim both coming into play.
Sam has survival skills inherited from scouts, while seemingly charming Paul has the stamina and strength earned from years of triathlon competitions. Between the two, they must brave the harsh wilderness, and make their way from the secluded locale back to the realities of society. Luckily, the story does not take place during the winter; otherwise, it would have lasted little more than several hours.
Director Wiebke von Carolsfeld features plenty of intimate close-ups, and emphasizes facial expressions. This element is an essential ingredient for a movie that walks the lines of murky morality. The central performances are also vital, with our Arnaud’s natural charisma making Paul an easy person to connect with, despite some potentially concerning red flags. This ends up being Bussières’s show, though. She paints Sam as a headstrong heroine who we can root for throughout the story’s constantly shifting mechanisms of survival. As the twisty script builds towards its riveting climax, both Sam and Paul nakedly reveal themselves as flawed characters. For Sam, her line of work essentially requires her to forgo her own beliefs and loosely find truths given scenarios. For Paul, the situation with Lydia completely upended his life, and now he has a career in home security systems. Neither character is perfect, but do either actually deserve the grim fate cast upon them? Though the answers are never easy, the script allows plenty of gray rather than a strict black and white look at any of this. We should obviously believe victims, especially in serious situations such as sexual assault.
But what of the lawyer? What of the accused? This film follows the two in a literal death-defying scenario, imagining that they would have to work together outside the bounds of the lawyer’s work hours. Make no mistake: Someone’s Daughter handles some seriously dark subject matter. Though the film avoids ever feeling exploitative or delivering bursts of extreme violence, the body language and dialogue speak louder than a thousand gory images.
Admittedly, my main interest in the film came by way of François Arnaud’s involvement. I have followed every project he has done since Midnight Texas, and Someone’s Daughter allows another avenue for Arnaud to play in a very different sandbox. From Heated Rivalry stud to accused rapist, is there anything Arnaud cannot do? Bussières surprised me, though. She absolutely holds her own as the veritable lead of the movie, not just some stuck up lawyer without any survivalist skills. The finale is quiet and meditative, rather than being action-heavy or unrealistic. Ultimately, Someone’s Daughter emerges as one of the festival’s best thrillers, one which leaves viewers with plenty to think about as it abruptly closes.
Someone’s Daughter screened at 2026’s Fantasia International Film Festival.
