mother! (2017)
On some level, I do love this film. It has some of the most evocative and unforgettable images I have seen in the past several years of film. It also has the guts to do things I would never have imagined with its story and in particular its perspective. Director and writer Darren Aronofsky has created one of the most intriguing yet still puzzling films ever made, and almost all of this comes from its use of allegory.
Actually, let’s talk about that. Aronofsky’s use of
metaphorical and allegorical imagery and narrative is bold, to be sure (and not
something that I will be discussing in detail so I can avoid spoilers);
however, there are times where it almost lost me – in fact there’s a lot of
those times – because of this film’s slow pace. In retrospect after having
talked with other people about this film, the sequences of monotony that slow
the film down do have a lot of meaning, but that doesn’t mean I appreciate them
any more than I would have otherwise. I will give Aronofsky credit for not
letting the normal rhythm of film get in the way of his story and telling the
way it needs to be told – as I do believe that the pacing and timing works to
the film’s benefit, allowing critical moments to more or less sneak up out of nowhere
– but it is worth warning you that you will be looking at your watch, checking
to see how much longer you have to sit through this movie. This is one of the
slowest burns I have ever seen, but the last twenty minutes of mother! make
it into something completely otherworldly. Aronofsky’s direction intensifies
the tension in the more boring parts as well, mostly in how silent the film is
outside of the creaking of the house in which it is set.
One of the biggest ways the allegory is maintained is
through the performances and characters of Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence.
Their relationship in the film on the surface is that of creator and muse,
which presents one possible film-wide metaphor. Bardem is suffering through a
bout of writer’s block, while Lawrence is passionately refurbishing their home
which had previously burned to the ground. The two from the start have a
deliberately uneasy chemistry, making it clear that Lawrence is getting close
to her breaking point. As the film goes on and more uninvited guests show up at
the couple’s home, her patience continues to wear thin, and her naiveté begins
to reveal itself in the most temper-ridden ways. Lawrence plays this character
nearly perfectly, showing just enough of that angst bubbling beneath the
surface to make us sympathetic without seeming melodramatic. Bardem shows how his
character adores the adoration he receives from those who read his work and how
he wants to forgive them for intruding into his perfect little world while also
showing how he is only using Lawrence to achieve his own goals of being admired
by as many as possible.
I don’t know if I am supposed to like mother!, but I
do. It is not a film that I will ever want to watch again but undoubtedly will
just to grasp its meaning a little more firmly. It is far from perfect, mostly
stemming from its oddly timed pacing, but it is undoubtedly daring and artistic
in its execution. I cannot universally recommend it, as it may be too ambiguous
or extreme for some; but if you can take its punishment, it might be one of the
richest cinematic experiences you will ever have.
My recommendation: If you can bear the content and
ambiguity, watch it.
My score: 85/100
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