His Three Daughters

The road to catharsis is littered with discomfort and dirty laundry in His Three Daughters, in which the healing process feels organic rather than contrived.

Elevated by richly textured performances in each of the title roles, this intimate drama about saying goodbye from director Azazel Jacobs (French Exit) offers a fresh take on familiar themes of sibling rivalry, parental legacies, and confronting mortality.

It begins with barbs flying between three adult children gathered in New York for the passing of their terminally ill father (Jay O. Sanders), who is receiving in-home hospice care. “If he knows that you all will be OK, it could mean a great deal,” they’re told by his medical administrator (Rudy Galvan).

Nevertheless, old grudges quickly bubble to the surface. Domineering oldest sister Katie (Carrie Coon) wants to take charge if only so she can be condescending toward Rachel (Natasha Lyonne), her stepsister by dad’s second wife.

Rachel has been their father’s caretaker but now she retreats to her bedroom, spending most days getting high and betting on sports while her boyfriend (Jovan Adepo) occasionally visits. She’s due to take over the lease on the apartment, which further ignites Katie’s vitriol.

Then there’s mild-mannered Christina (Elizabeth Olsen), who left her family at home and traveled across the country to pay her respects. As their father’s health deteriorates off-screen, Rachel’s passive-aggressive hostility counters Katie’s more outwardly direct contempt. Christina becomes the emotional anchor forced to play referee.

The three convincing portrayals convey relatable tension while generating hard-earned sympathy and sensitivity for flawed women who are each struggling to express and process their grief for different reasons. Can they find common ground before it’s too late?

Jacobs’ talky screenplay features sharp dialogue accentuating the intriguing dynamics that go beyond mere dysfunction into deep-seeded friction and residual guilt. However, the characters communicate just as much through body language and facial expressions during the film’s moments of quiet contemplation.

With its limited visual scope — most of it takes place within a very plainly decorated apartment — perhaps the material was originally written for the stage.

While the relentless bickering becomes repetitive after a while, there are some powerful moments along the way, plus a bold late twist that resonates. Even if the ending is already predetermined, His Three Daughters avoids cheap sentimentality in its bittersweet family feud.

Rated R, 103 minutes.