Review: mother!


Well-cast film in which wife and interior decorator Jennifer Lawrence fixes up husband Javier Bardem’s childhood home while he suffers writer’s block. One night a stranger claiming to be a doctor (Ed Harris) happens upon their abode mistaking it for a B&B. Bardem, being a nice guy lets the stranger (who seems to have some kind of phlegm-y ailment) stay the night. Lawrence isn’t terribly happy about this. Soon when the doctor’s wife (a perfect Michelle Pfeiffer, in one of her best roles in years) turns up as well, Lawrence is even less pleased. Eventually Harris’ kids turn up, things get rowdy, and Lawrence appears to be getting anxious/neurotic/crazy about everyone’s indifferent or just plain rude behaviour towards her. Things are weird and only get weirder. I’m not kidding, the film is insane.



This 2017 psychodrama from writer-director Darren Aronofsky (“The Wrestler”, “Noah”) has wildly divided audiences. A lot of people loathe it. I’d wager most of those people simply don’t like the type of film this is. Perhaps people were unsure just how seriously to take it all, because this film is actually damn funny and I believe the humour to be intentional. The random funeral scene suggests Aronofsky is taking the piss a bit here at the very least. The film is nuttier than a fruitcake and only gets weirder. It’s far from flawless, but Aronofsky’s made a pretty good stab at a Polanski-esque psychodrama here. I just wish it were a bit shorter and little less admiring of early Polanski. The finale is unfortunately too close to one of Polanski’s most famous films for my liking.



Underrated by some, if it were 20 minutes shorter and a little more original this film would be an absolute winner. As is, it’s quite good and seriously nuts. Psychodramas are tricky to do successfully, but I think Aronofsky mostly succeeds here, partly by having some absurd fun with it. See it and make of it what you will. 



Rating: B-

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