THE STORY – After 8-year-old Josephine accidentally witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park, she acts out in search of a way to regain control of her safety, while adults are helpless to console her.
THE CAST – Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum, Gemma Chan, Philip Ettinger & Michael Angelo Covino
THE TEAM – Beth de Araújo (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 120 Minutes
The responsibility of parenting shouldn’t be taken lightly. While it comes with some of life’s greatest joys and plenty of fun, it also carries the weight of helping guide a small person into a capable, compassionate, maybe even well-adjusted adult someday. Movies return to this idea often, telling stories of parents doing their best (or failing) to help their children navigate everything life throws at them. Rarely, though, do these stories shift their focus away from the parents and toward the child. Writer-director Beth de Araújo does exactly that in her second narrative feature film, “Josephine,” telling a story of trauma and recovery entirely from a young girl’s perspective. It’s hard to put into words just how devastating this film is, and how healing its journey can be. “Josephine” is a masterful, painful work about parenting, recovery, and finding paths to move forward.
Eight-year-old Josephine (Mason Reeves) and her dad, Damien (Channing Tatum), love working out together, especially when he helps her practice her soccer footwork. One morning, while running in Golden Gate Park, Josephine playfully hides from her father and ends up witnessing a brutal assault in the woods. The film doesn’t shy away from the moment. It’s shocking, grounding the audience in the gravity of what this child has just experienced. Damien finds her and chases off the attacker (Philip Ettinger), but the memory lingers. This quiet, patient film stays close to Josephine, recognizing that children don’t always process trauma through questions, but through silent observation and internal sorting.
In the aftermath, Josephine’s mental health understandably begins to unravel. She can’t fully explain why. She doesn’t even completely understand what she saw. But fear takes root. Where lesser films would shift focus to how adults manage the crisis, “Josephine” keeps its gaze firmly on the child, even lowering the camera to her eye level. Greta Zozula’s cinematography maintains this perspective throughout, never feeling gimmicky or distracting. It feels natural and immersive. Paired with thoughtful editing, the effect is subtle but powerful. Josephine is treated as a fully realized person, with valid thoughts, emotions, and anxieties, especially as paranoia begins to creep in.
Damien and Claire (Gemma Chan) struggle with how to respond. Damien wants to move past the trauma, distract his daughter, and restore normalcy, hoping time will do the work. Claire pushes for therapy, seeking professional guidance. Notably, neither parent initially prioritizes talking directly to their child about what happened. The film is filled with frustrating parental missteps that invite viewers to wish the adults would simply communicate more openly. That frustration is purposeful. It reflects how many parents, overwhelmed and unprepared, treat trauma as a problem to solve rather than a human experience to share. And few could ever feel fully equipped for something this distraught and sickening.
“Josephine” can be an overwhelming film, yet the cast keeps everything grounded. Tatum is perfectly cast as a father who processes pain through physical action rather than conversation, revealing those vulnerable cracks he’s shown us in a few roles before beneath his tough exterior. Chan provides a gentle counterbalance as her quiet fear gradually takes over. But the film belongs to Reeves. In an extraordinarily demanding role, she holds the story together, allowing viewers to watch her innocence harden in real time. It’s one of the finest child performances ever, especially as Josephine prepares to testify about what she witnessed.
Araújo directs with confidence and restraint. She allows the film to breathe, never forcing its emotions onto the audience. Instead, she lets the trauma slowly seep into every corner of this family’s life. Josephine’s inner processing unfolds almost moment by moment, alongside her parents’ imperfect attempts to adapt. The experience is shattering but never exploitative. Araújo knows exactly how far to push, crafting a drama that is quietly devastating and deeply humane, capturing the long-lasting ripple effects of violence that audiences will be able to fully identify with, latch on to, and be unable to let go of long after the credits have rolled.
“Josephine” may be difficult to watch, but it is made with immense care by de Araújo, performed with such empathy by Tatum, Chan, and Reeves, and the emotional payoff at the end is quite profound. It may be early in 2026, but there is little doubt this is already one of the year’s absolute best films.
