A couple live a tranquil life in the country. She is rebuilding an remodelling the house after a fire, while he is a poet suffering writers block. However, their peace is interrupted with a knock on on the door...
Blimey!
When you have an acclaimed director (Darren Aronofsky), two Oscar winning actors (Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem), two very good supporting actors (Ed Harris and Michele Pfeiffer) in a mainstream Hollywood release, usually you will get either a character driven piece or some kind of big budget blockbuster. Usually. What you do not expect is a film as extraordinary as Mother!.
If you've seen the trailer, you might think you are getting some kind of mysterious horror film. Even some of the posters have pointed in that direction. But while there are some horrific moments in this film and certainly it its early part does seem and feel like one, this isn't a horror film. As to what it is, well, that's kind of difficult to explain. It's a film that could be seen as a film about fandom and cults, political upheaval, about religion, the end of the world, pretty much everything and anything really! It's become a divisive film, a love or hate film and I suspect some of that is down to everyone watching having one of two reactions, in that either they know or have an idea of what the film is about (at least to them) or don't. If you don't then what you think you are watching does look like a film that gets out of control from the director as onscreen everything is getting out of control. If you 'get it' so to speak, then when you think on it, actually everything in the film makes more sense. I actually want to see it again armed with how I look at the film. I suspect it will be an interesting rewatch.
Darren Aronofsky is a writer and director who has made challenging films, such as Requiem For A Dream, Black Swan and The Fountain. But, maybe The Fountain aside, nothing will prepare you for this film. Like the trailer, it begins slow, building to an astonishing last act as it appears the entire world descends on the house. Yet, for all of the chaos and destruction on screen Aronofsky is in total control from a director's point of view. With a hand held camera following Jennifer Lawrence's Mother (no character has a name in this film) through the house, Aronofsky has obviously spent time with his production crew planning it all out carefully and it is brilliantly shot by director of photography Matthew Libatique.
The cast are great too. Jennifer Lawrence is on screen for the whole film, trying to work out what is going on as more and more people come to the house. It's a part that required a strong actress and she is terrific. Javier Bardem has a slightly trickier role, in that his character, for the most part, remains calm for the whole story, even as events are building but Bardem is great in the part. Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer are great in their roles of a doctor and his wife, with Pfeiffer really enjoying herself in the role. Among the supporting cast, there are small roles for brothers Domhnall and Brian Gleeson, who play brothers here and also for Stephen McHattie who has a role to play in events towards the end.
In truth there is nothing wrong with this film at all. As I said, the story is one that will have you thinking long after the ending, one that that will make sense depending on how you take the film. I know some in the screening I was in didn't like it, some certainly didn't understand it. When a film comes along that can be so divisive to its audience, challenging them to think it can be so much more rewarding then some that are great but explain, or over explain their stories.
When you consider that this film was released by a major Hollywood studio (Paramount), you have to give them great credit. At a time when studios are often playing it safe, relying on big franchises for their success, to even consider releasing a film like Mother!, a film that I don't think we'll see the like of for sometime from any studio, gives Paramount tremendous kudos. Mind you, I would have loved to have been at the executive meeting where Aronofsky discussed the project and his vision with them!
I was utterly blown away by Mother!. I sat there watching it with a smile on my face almost from the beginning, right up to the end. I loved it. It's a powerful, brave, astonishing film. It is without doubt the best film I will see this year to date.
You may love or hate Mother! at its end. But I guarantee you won't see anything like it again soon. And you will be thinking about it after regardless of your opinion on it.
For that alone, I recommend seeing the film.
Rating - 5/5
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