Treading Water

Aroview: Refreshing, at ease lesbian drama conveys a universal scenario of familial tensions between a mother and daughter over the latter’s choice of partner – in this case, another woman – without self-consciously dwelling on its gay discourse.

Rather, Himmel focuses her energy on the nature of relationships, and it resonates broadly – here, the lovers just happen to be the same sex. Assisted by competent acting throughout, the film allows itself room to tread tentatively in the area of the mother’s conservative values vs. the daughter’s liberated coming out, but never strays too far from its down-to-earth human drama, and remains all the better for it.