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Review
JAMIE EAST AT THE MOVIES

Emily Beecham carries endearing new film Daphne — and it leaves you in no doubt that she’s a future star in the making

The movie is an endearing story about being lost

DAPHNE is the story of an unhappy and relatively obnoxious Londoner (Emily Beecham) spending her live careering from one one-night stand to another in a fug of booze, takeaways and blackouts.

After witnessing a horrific crime and enduring a fractious relationship with her mother (expertly delivered by Geraldine James) she is forced into reflection and redemption.

 Emily Beecham brings depth to her somewhat lost character Daphne
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Emily Beecham brings depth to her somewhat lost character Daphne

It’s as if ‘Fleabag’ and ‘Girls’ were on a real come-down and couldn’t be bothered with making you smile, so just gave it to you straight.

As a film it may not linger in your mind for too long (Characters borderline caricature a bigot too much).

But the same can’t be said for Emily Beecham - who leaves you in no doubt you’re witnessing a future star in the making.

She is in every scene, carrying the entire film and rather than taking the easy option by playing another Anna Friel clone doing a caricature of a lost twenty something, brings depth and a believable state of mind to Daphne.

She will become huge.

I found this an endearing story about being lost, needing to find your place in the world and realising there’s no choice but to hoist yourself up by the bootstraps every now and then.

Daphne (15) 86 mins

Rating: ★★★☆☆

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