Review: Hot Milk

27 July, 2025 James Snyder 0 Comments 1 category

Title: Hot Milk
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Starring: Emma Mackey, Fiona Shaw, Vicky Krieps, Vincent Gomez
Runtime: 1 hr 33 mins

What It Is: Stricken with a mysterious illness, a mother and daughter set out on a journey to the Spanish coast in search of a cure. Along the way, the daughter uncovers a reality far removed from the shadow of her controlling mother.

What We Think: This critic is unfamiliar with the novel and experienced this story for the first time through its big screen adaptation.

In Hot Milk, a hazy, sun-soaked summer daze awaits us. Beneath its glare, we meet Sofia (Emma Mackey) and Rose (Fiona Shaw), a mother and daughter whose relationship forms the emotional core of the film—and the primary reason to watch it. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that both women harbor something simmering just below the surface: a rage or despair that has been festering for years. Watching the cracks begin to form is utterly captivating.

Fiona Shaw shines in portraying these emotions, handling the heart-wrenching moments with equal parts bravado and anguish. Emma Mackey, meanwhile, delivers a more subdued, simmering performance—one that builds to a red-hot intensity as her mother’s harrowing journey reveals more than just a longing for freedom. Her character isn’t entirely likable, which is a refreshing subversion of the typical coming-of-age protagonist. Some will connect with her angst; others may not.

Director Lenkiewicz sprinkles striking imagery throughout the film that beautifully mirrors Sofia’s internal struggle, while the lush cinematography keeps the summer setting vivid and alive. The sounds of wind whistling and waves crashing provide a blissful backdrop to the characters’ inner turmoil—though at times, that blissfulness verges on overindulgence. This is undeniably a searing drama, but it’s also a coming-of-age story, so expect plenty of loose, lingering moments and awkward silences. That said, both the visuals and performances lose some of their impact when the film shifts to the excess baggage surrounding the main story, which slows the pacing and lessens its emotional momentum.

I didn’t know Vicky Krieps was in the cast when I sat down to watch the film, and I was pleasantly surprised when she first appeared—she’s a fantastic actress. However, that initial excitement faded as her character Ingrid’s relationship with Sofia developed. Their romance is deeply sensuous and intimate, but here, intimacy doesn’t always translate to intrigue.

The supporting cast delivers solid performances, though none carry the emotional weight needed to match the central Sofia/Rose dynamic—a thread that both demands and holds your attention. And once that thread reaches its abrupt end, it leaves you wanting more… and yearning for answers.

Our Grade: B-, As I mentioned earlier, there’s something angry bubbling beneath the surface of Hot Milk, brought to light by two strong lead performances and sharp direction. I loved how intrusive and unabashed the film could be—when it chose to be. That said, it does tend to drift, and at a modest 93 minutes, don’t be surprised if it feels a bit longer. The shared space between plotlines often takes more than it gives. Check this one out when it lands on MUBI on August 22.