HIS THREE DAUGHTERS-Sisters/Step-Sister Sitting Around Waiting for Dad to Die

HIS THREE DAUGHTERS (HTD) is a movie that rings true for those of you who have been bedside beside a loved one's during their dying days. If this doesn't discourage you from watching this TIGHTLY  wound film which would be better served as a play, you'll be bestowed a master class in acting and a heartfelt lesson in empathy. HTD is written by Azalea Jacobs, an American dir./screenwriter known for THE LOVERS and FRENCH EXIT. Now available on Netflix, HTD is shot within the confines of a NYC apartment or briefly outside the complex for a much needed breath of air. The three daughters Katie (Carrier Coons), Christina (Elizabeth Olsen) and Rachel (Natasha Lyonne) convene to care and commiserate over their father's impending death vigil. Tensions are running high which fuels the hostility seething between siblings. The venom is mostly between Katie, the eldest and Rachel, the youngest and step-daughter. Rachel was raised by Katie and Cristina's father since she was five. Christina is the typical, middle child who runs interference between the other two until the vitriol gets out of control. Rachel is a  pot-head with a penchant for sports betting, Cristina is married with a young daughter whose seemingly perfect life is not as perfect as it seems on the surface. Katie is the over-controlling wife, mother and sister residing in Brooklyn. The powerful and contained performances by all three women makes this movie well worth watching. Especially noteworthy is seeing how each sister deals with grief and interacts with their mostly comatose dad. The two hospice caregivers are essential to instructing the girls of legal issues pertaining to end of life care. Katie's icy, voluble banter marks her as a mean girl. She is quick to back down when confronted with her bullying. Cristina's carapace of benevolence is constantly on the verge of cracking. And, Rachel does the heavy lifting with her pothead, Peter-pan persona who only wants to feel loved. The intimate quarters add to the uncomfortable purgatory of waiting for the grim reaper. HTD works as an intimate study of the stress on family dynamics exacerbated by an impending death. It's also  a clever examination of ways of comparing, despite sharing the same nest with siblings, how everyone has their own interpretation of a shared history. Most importantly is the idea of what constitutes a family. Jay O Saunders as the dying father of the three girls only makes a short appearance on camera reflecting back on his role to all three of his girls and nails it. HTD may not be the film you've been waiting around to see but it is a profound look at what family members need with a lot smoking weed on the side.  BTW, smoking weed is legal in 24 states; assisted suicide is only legal in nine.