In ‘Lost Girls’ Desperation Takes on a New Role: Motherhood

(Photo Credit: IMDB)

By Sally Barrilla

Originally a 2016 book of the same name, the new Netflix film “Lost Girls” translates well onto a screen with a slightly sinister, thrilling and dramatic vibe. Released on March 13, the film is based on a true story of the disappearance and unsolved murder of Shannan Gilbert, a 24-year-old Jersey City resident and sex worker whose mother, Mari Gilbert, fought hard for justice.

Starring Amy Ryan and Miriam Shor and directed by Liz Garbus, the movie begins with a chilling scene where Shannan runs away in evident terror from an unseen pursuer in a dark car. The scene then cuts to Mari, a struggling construction worker and mother, as she goes about her day. Mari gave Shannan to a foster home at the age of seven, since she couldn’t bear watching her suffer from both bipolar and eating disorders any longer.

After going back and forth between foster homes and her mother’s house, Shannan settles finally in New Jersey while her mother and sisters, Sherre and Sarra, live in upstate New York. Mari and Shannan’s past struggles affected their mother-and-daughter relationship, but a conversation early in the film where Shannan promises to visit for dinner, gives Mari hope of a loving meeting.

When Mari receives a mysterious call asking for Shannan, she decides to ask around the local neighborhood for Shannan’s possible whereabouts. Mari becomes hysterical upon learning her daughter is missing and begins knocking on strangers’ doors. This scene is rife with anxiety; viewers can feel Mari’s desperation as she realizes her daughter is gone.

Shannan’s death does not seem to be fully addressed; Mari has to enforce most of the investigation herself, rather than the police, who insist she’s making a big deal out of nothing.

The police assume Shannan may have simply drowned, but her mother thinks otherwise, believing that one person was responsible. As the plot thickens, it becomes clear that it is Mari’s guilt for failing Shannan as a mother that fuels her to find her daughter.

(Photo Credit: The Wrap)

Refusing to back down and digging a little deeper, Mari discovers that Shannan made a 23-minute phone call on the morning of her disappearance, but the police took more than an hour to arrive at the scene. The police tell Mari that nearby residents claimed Shannan appeared to be on drugs, so they pressure her with questions about her relationship with her daughter.

Mari’s quest to find Shannan is fast-paced and adrenaline-filled, with new hurdles around every corner. However, the film lacks drama at some crucial moments, making it seem insincere due to some bad acting.

Mari’s drive to find her daughter is most convincing when she crosses paths with law enforcement and becomes heavily involved in the investigation.

Mari’s search extends across the course of a year and various obstacles; she was finally able to see her daughter again on Dec. 13, 2011, but not as she had hoped. Shannan’s remains and belongings were uncovered in a marsh only half a mile away from where she had originally disappeared in May 2010.

After numerous female bodies are found on the South Shore of Long Island and Oak Beach, a possible culprit emerges, officially known as the “Long Island Serial Killer.” The killer was disclosed to have murdered around a total of 10 to 16 victims. Yet, the murderer has never been charged nor identified, even in Shannan Gilbert’s case.

This film exemplifies that no mother is perfect, but once she discovers something has happened to her beloved offspring, all bets are off. Mari may be attempting to redeem herself from leaving Shannan in the past but just goes to show that a mother will do anything to protect her child.

The powerful message of this movie makes it worth seeing, but be warned that those who get sad or scared easily should approach with caution. “Lost Girls” is a haunted house ride - you may know what to expect, but there are still surprises around every corner.

“She won’t be forgotten,” said the real Mari Gilbert in a conference in Feb. 2016 shown in a brief clip at the end of the film, months before her unfortunate death. “And we are going to continue to fight as long as we need to until justice is served for our daughter.”