It might have been tempting to frame this story as that of a heroic American father rescuing his daughter from the clutches of devious Europeans. It is to the director's credit that he avoids this easy option. Neither Bill Baker nor his daughter are particularly admirable people, though Bill, played by Matt Damon, does have a dogged persistence in his attempt to prove the innocence of his daughter, despite her ingratitude for his efforts. The heart of the film is Bill's developing relationship with Virginie, and her young daughter Maya. They are without doubt the most sympathetic characters in the plot, and the tragedy of the tale is that, ultimately, he destroys that relationship in order to rescue his daughter, a person who doesn't seem worthy of that sacrifice, and who appears to have been at least partly culpable in her friend's death. Whilst some viewers might feel cheated by the lack of a happy ending, I admired the bravery of the film in avoiding that easy pay-off.
Review of Stillwater
