American Woman

In this US indie drama, produced by Ridley Scott and directed by his son Jake, a working-class single mother living in small-town Pennsylvania is floundering in alcohol and promiscuity when her teenage daughter goes missing. British actress Sienna Miller absolutely latches on to the central role, while the story unfolds over a further decade as the rough-hewn heroine struggles to keep hope alive and get her tempestuous life back on track. There's assured support from Christina Hendricks as her no-nonsense sister and Aaron Paul as a suave-but-slippery suitor, yet this is Miller's film all the way, baring her soul by displaying how suffering and maturity moulds a blowsy, good-time gal into a careworn and resilient grandmother. Like Martin Scorsese's Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, the whole show certainly nods to "women's pictures" from Hollywood's golden years, and Miller's sheer grit brings telling emotional veracity to what could have been a mere sudsy wallow. It's an awards-calibre performance which already looks like a career milestone.