- In this intimate exploration of identity, trauma and power, a young woman seeks out her birth mother, inadvertently triggering a string of events which change both their lives.
- It's during a term studying animal euthanasia that veterinary student Rose (Ann Skelly) decides to contact Ellen (Orla Brady), the birth mother who gave her up for adoption. But Ellen, who is now a successful London-based actress, doesn't want to know. Undeterred, Rose will not be ignored. And curiosity leads her to discoveries that shake the fragile identity she has built for herself. Directors Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, also known as Desperate Optimists, have spent years making formally rigorous, atmospheric cinema that often deals with the uncanny effects of impersonation and the slippery nature of truth. With Rose Plays Julie (2019) hey have crafted a slow-burn thriller that builds a sense of dread inside an exquisite world of immaculate architecture, rendered through an icy performance style and enveloped by a claustrophobic soundtrack. Ann Skelly and Orla Brady are both exacting and measured in their delivery, as the film takes us through longing and revenge to arrive at the dark places of power and its abuses. This is frank, immersive and decidedly feminist filmmaking.—London Film Festival
- Rose is a veterinary student at university in Dublin. Adopted as a young child, Rose's adoptive mother has recently died and she has begun looking into who her biological parents are. She discovers her mother is an actress named Ellen who lives in London, and travels there to meet her. Rose calls Ellen on her mobile phone and reveals her birth name is Julie; Ellen realizes who she is. She also follows Ellen to a film set and is noticed, but quickly walks off.
Finding that Ellen's house is for sale, Rose calls the estate agent posing as a potential buyer wanting to view the property. At the house, Ellen's teenage daughter Eva answers the door to Rose. Ellen recognizes Rose during the viewing and takes her out into the woods to talk, a place she often goes to calm down. Ellen reveals to Rose that she was raped on a golf course, and that Rose (named Julie by her) was the result; she decided to give birth to her in order to focus on the positives of bringing a child into the world, but decided not to keep her. She tells Rose that her father is Peter Doyle, a celebrity archaeologist.
Rose goes back to Dublin and attends the launch party for Peter's new book, but does not talk to him. She later volunteers on an archaeological dig led by Peter, wearing a black wig over her red hair and pretending to be an actress named Julie researching for a role as an archaeologist. Ellen comes to Dublin to work on a film and calls Rose, asking to meet with her; she later turns up at Rose's university flat. Rose tells her that she's seen Peter but not told him who she is. She admits that Peter living his life as if nothing happened angers her.
Peter gives Rose a copy of his book with his phone number written inside. Rose steals drugs used to put down sick animals from her university and fills a syringe with them, then goes to Peter's house while his family are out, intending to kill him. Peter is surprised by Rose's appearance, but lets her in. He quickly makes advances towards her, and when she tells him to stop he grabs her by the throat and pushes her up against a bookcase. She manages to get hold of a golfing award on the shelf and hits him over the head with it, then pulls the syringe from her jacket to find that it has broken; she shouts at Peter and reveals she is his daughter before fleeing, leaving him dazed and bloodied. When Peter's wife Teresa arrives home later he is forced to explain his head wound.
Rose goes to Ellen's hotel room and stays there while Ellen goes to her university flat to dispose of the veterinary drugs. Ellen finds Peter's book with his phone number in and calls him asking to meet at the golf course he raped her at; he agrees. Peter arrives before Ellen, who gets into his car to talk. She recounts the assault to him and then suddenly stabs him in the leg with the syringe; he at first attempts to stop her then accepts his fate and allows her to inject him with the drugs. He dies in the car within minutes. Ellen returns to her hotel room, waking a sleeping Rose, who tells her that she was dreaming about waiting by the sea for her.
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