by Tim Gordon
A young Liberian refugee narrowly escapes her war-torn homeland and finds herself on a Greek island, where she struggles each day to survive while trying to keep terrible memories buried in Drift.
But will her journey across this beautiful yet indifferent paradise ever bring her the peace she so desperately seeks?
It may look like paradise on the Greek islands, but for Jacqueline, every day is a battle just to get by. She scrapes together a meager living, offering leg and hand massages to tourists along the beach, earning just enough for scraps of food. She lives like a ghost — homeless, drifting through abandoned hideaways, avoiding eye contact, staying anonymous to protect what little dignity she has left. Beneath her quiet exterior, Jacqueline is haunted by deep scars and a terrible secret from her past in Liberia.
Suspicious of everyone and everything around her, she stays on guard until one day she crosses paths with Kelly (Alia Shawkat), an American tour guide. For a brief moment, Jacqueline lets her guard down, allowing a fragile human connection to take root. Kelly, drawn to her vulnerability, invites her out to dinner. Even this small act of kindness overwhelms Jacqueline, who remains unsure whether to trust Kelly’s motives. But Kelly’s gentle persistence and genuine compassion slowly begin to pull her out of her shell.
Directed by Anthony Chen and based on the novel A Marker to Measure Drift by Alexander Maksik, Drift juxtaposes the natural beauty and tourist luxury of the Greek islands with the shadows Jacqueline can’t outrun. Oscar nominee and Tony winner Cynthia Erivo gives a raw, quietly shattering performance as a woman who can’t go home again, at least not to the one she was forced from. Erivo wears Jacqueline’s pain like a second skin; her silences speak volumes. Chen’s sensitive, restrained direction and Erivo’s haunting nuance gradually draw us into the full depth of Jacqueline’s trauma.
Premiering at Sundance in 2023 but delayed by last year’s dual strikes, Drift is anchored by Erivo’s devastating work and Shawkat’s tender, empathetic turn as the stranger who dares to reach out. While Jacqueline seems to “drift” through her days, the film reminds us that sometimes the faintest spark of connection is enough to keep hope alive.
This small, quietly powerful gem deserves to be seen — so anchor yourself in your local theater and let it wash over you.
Grade: B
