Lady (2026)

-Written by Kyle Bain. 

Everyone handles death differently. Lady sees Isabella (Sian Clifford), followed by a documentary team, dealing with the aftermath of death and disaster. As the crew follows Isabella around her massive estate, the unthinkable becomes possible, and the world that she once knew, as twisted as it was, will change forever. 

I have to admit that, as much as I enjoyed Lady, the narrative itself didn’t appeal much to me. It’s obviously essential to the film’s success, as it’s the puzzle piece that acts as the catalyst for everything else that transpires throughout the course of the production. However, I feel that the narrative was far too drawn out, and that Lady could likely have been condensed to well under an hour and still reached audiences in the same fashion. By the conclusion of the film, even the parts of the narrative that failed to appeal to me manage to make sense, to make a splash. The reality that Lady drags on, however, makes it challenging to remain present in the film. 

Fortunately, the film is simple enough to dissect, that drifting in and out didn’t hinder my ability to understand and appreciate Lady. 

Lady possesses far more than a tedious narrative. The score, the performances, and the metaphorical depth present in this film flood viewers with something meaningful and powerful. 

The score powerfully expresses both charm and desperation, mirroring Isabella’s ever-shifting demeanor. The powerful sounds that accompany Isabella on her journey allow viewers an opportunity to tune back into Lady and appreciate the purpose behind what Writer-Director Samuel Abrahams and Co-Writer Miranda Campbell Bowling were hoping to bring to life. Composer Jonny Woodley clearly has a knack for developing simple, compelling tones that not only accompany the rest of the film, but elevate the rest of the film. Without the score, I truly believe that there would have been a series of moments in Lady that lost on me. Abrahams has Woodley to thank for ensuring that the film’s purpose is ultimately understood, and, beyond that, remains brilliantly accessible. 

Furthermore, Lady, despite the narrative, possesses a level of depth within that narrative that transcends the film and enticed me from start to finish. Lady is far more than a story about a woman turning invisible (you read correctly); it calls into question the idea of obscurity and heavily focuses on tackling the idea of mortality. Lady strives to discuss a struggle that we all face once or twice in our lives: Do I Matter? Not to be too mushy, but I’m certain you matter to someone—and, in many ways, that’s the premise of Lady. How does a woman who has lost everything, including herself, understand that she’s important, that she means something to someone? Lady follows this thread from start to finish, and viewers are made very aware that this is the question that this team is looking to answer. As Isabella slowly begins to fade away into nothingness, viewers are forced to ponder, alongside her, what she means to not only the people existing beside her, but the world as a whole. 

The simple narrative doesn’t always deliver the way that Abrahams and Bowling may have hoped when crafting Lady (at least in terms of structure and pacing), but I feel that the film manages to find success in spite of that. With just the right amount of gusto lurking beneath the surface, a powerful score, and a beautiful performance (my favorite performance) by Juliet Cowan (Becky), Lady is absolutely worth your time.

Directed by Samuel Abrahams. 

Written by Samuel Abrahams & Miranda Campbell Bowling. 

Starring Sian Clifford, Laurie Kynaston, Juliet Cowan, Olisa Odele, etc. 

7/10 = WATCH IT FOR FREE