The Stolen Girl Review
Director: Eva Husson
Date Created: 2025-04-16 16:00
3.5
The Stolen Girl Review: Directed by Eva Husson and written by a group that includes Catherine Moulton, Eva Husson, and Conrad Hamilton. The series is an adaptation of Alex Dahl’s The Stolen Girl. The series consists of five episodes that are approximately an hour long. The cast includes Holliday Grainger as Rebecca, Denise Gough as Elisa Blix, Ambika Mod as Selma, Robyn Betteridge as Josephine Thibault, Michael Workeye as Kaleb Negasi, Jim Sturgess as Fred Blix, Bronagh Waugh as DI Shona Sinclair, Beatrice Campbell as Lucia and others.
The Stolen Girl Review
The story starts with one of those little commonplace situations we know so well — a mother, Elisa, lets her 9-year-old daughter, Lucia, spend the night at her new best friend Josie’s house. But with one decision, everything changes. When Lucia doesn’t come home, Elisa is plunged into a nightmare no parent ever wants to experience. What begins as a missing child case gradually unravels into something much larger, intertwined with secrets and dark turns.
The first time I picked up JioHotstar’s The Stolen Girl, I frankly didn’t have high expectations. These days, there are so many thrillers which are with similar themes, which is actually not good, and one of them is The Glass Dome, which was released yesterday on Netflix. So I expected very little from this one, but glad I sat down to watch it.
The first episode of The Stolen Girl show, sucked me in instantly. It packed a huge emotional wallop. You really sense that panic, that confusion of a mother who just lost her child. It established the mood nicely and left me wanting to watch more. I’ll confess that the story slows a little in the middle episodes, but I was hooked on the mystery. Just when I thought I understood what was going on, the story would turn in another direction. That element of surprise is likely the greatest asset of the show. So many thrillers these days are just far too easy to guess. This one kept me on my toes.
The performances of Denise Gough and Holliday Grainger are among the series’ strongest elements. They might be playing two very different mothers, but each is hiding something. It kept me invested via their emotional depth and expressions. There’s a constant question that hangs in the air: Who’s lying? Who’s telling the truth? And who is the real victim, for that matter?
I liked the way the show toyed with that. It didn’t give easy answers. It made you feel uncertain, which just made the suspense even more pronounced. It displayed the real fear, guilt and pain of losing a child in a very raw and real way. I worship at the altar of the one-child family, but also, as a nonparent, I thought those feelings were very powerful and relatable.
Also, the way pieces of the story were revealed to us was clever. It never vomits precise information in one go. Instead, it cranks up the tension, layer by layer. You get little glimpses here and there, and that’s what makes you wonder what is actually going on behind the scenes.
Some supporting characters felt unnecessary or underwritten. For instance, the detectives didn’t stand out much. I didn’t feel they were actually solving the case. So, one of the journalist characters helps advance the story, but even she seemed to get lucky more than anything else.
Also Read: The Gardener Review: Love, Control, Crime with Few Twists but Lacks Depth
Then there’s Jim Sturgess as Fred Blix. I’ve watched him do good work in other things, but here, it felt like he was just playing the role. His character wasn’t bursting with energy or depth.
Another weak point was how the little girl, Lucia, was written. Honestly, it didn’t feel realistic. For a 9-year-old who’s been removed from her home, her demeanour was far too placid. I had anticipated fear, confusion, or at least some sort of reaction — but she appeared so calm and okay with everything. That detraction pitched me out of some of the believability.
The ending was kind a let down. After all the suspense and build-up, I felt like it needed to be something more powerful or shocking. It wasn’t awful, but it also didn’t punch me as hard as I’d hoped. It felt like the series had constructed this huge storm, and then we got light drizzle.
Summing Up
The Stolen Girl series was a story constantly on course and made for a fun watch. I did not feel entirely bored, and I enjoyed that it challenged my assumptions. It’s a mystery drama with some good performances and enough twists to keep you engaged. It deals with deep emotions like guilt, trust and motherhood in a way that resonates. If you’re someone who enjoys thrillers that aren’t too fast-paced but still full of suspense, then this one might be worth your time.
The Stolen Girl 2025 is now streaming on JioHotstar.
Also Read: Meet The Khumalos Review: Fun to Watch, But Nothing Special
