Stephanie Daley

Red blood splashed across crisp white snow is just one of the many fantastic images in "Stephanie Daley." This visually and emotionally stirring film goes deep into the heart of its subject and does not look back or apologize. The vivid characters are as real as they are fierce, as they struggle for hope and life.

Lydie Crane (Tilda Swinton) is a forensic psychologist that has been given the case of 16 year old Stephanie Daley (Amber Tamblyn) who is accused of murdering her infant right after giving birth on a school ski trip. Crane, who is herself pregnant, must find out if Daley knew she was pregnant or was ignorant of it as she claims. Crane has more investment in this case as she had also had a still birth right before getting pregnant a second time. Along with marital problems, her life spins out of control as she becomes fearful of another problem with her pregnancy. The film moves on as her fear and Stephanie's case become more and more entwined.

The performances in this movie are stellar, as Swinton goes from exuberance to despair as a woman trying to move on from her baby's death. She is the type of actress that makes it hard to take your eyes off the screen when she is on. Director Hilary Brougher creates a visually stunning movie that mirrors the internal turmoil of the characters. There is one point where Crane hits a deer with her car that is as shocking as it is heartbreaking. Many have said that this movie feels like a simple story that is dragged out, however, there is such complexity to its characters that it makes up for the lack of plot. The subject matter is looked at with an honesty that few films have and should be applauded for its truth