'Mother!' Review

There has been much anticipation surrounding Darren Aronofsky's most recent picture, Mother! While many critics have praised its technical elements and performances, others have been quite critical towards the narrative structure and its disturbing content. This being an Aronofsky film, disturbing content should come as no suprise considering that he was the man behind psychological ballet horror Black Swan, and the drug-fuelled cautionary tale Requiem for a Dream. However, Mother! is a different type of film altogether. What Mother! essentially does is creep under your skin and irritate you to the point that it's practically imploring you to hate it. This is by no means a bad thing however, as Mother! is one of the most engaging and thoroughly captivating films of the year.

The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as an unnamed woman (credited as 'Mother') who is married to a renowned poet played by Javier Bardem (credited as 'Him'). The two share a tranquil existence in a secluded octagonal house in the country, He works on his writers block, while Mother works on the house. It's clear from the beginning that their relationship is not as idyllic as it may seem, there is this sense of detachment between the two of them that tells the audience something is missing between them. However, we soon learn that this is the case between Lawrence and all of the films characters. A man (Ed Harris) soon arrives at the house, eventually followed by his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer), and it's the same case with them as well. There is this constant sense of detachment between Mother and the other characters. She always feels as if she has no say, nobody listens to her or takes her seriously and at times it's as if there is this huge joke that everybodies in on except her. It's frustrating in a sense, as it's clear that a lot of the peoples actions upset her, but even at that nobody will ever listen to her. This is where the heart of the films frustration lies and is what will gradually distress the audience as things develop.

I'm going to go straight out and say that this is Lawrences best performance yet. What begins as a subtle, very naturalistic performance, gradually builds up to a harrowing portrayal of sheer emotion and frustration. Even if you're not a fan of Lawrence, you will find it extremely difficult not to empathise with her character. Bardem, who plays her husband, shares an interesting dynamic with her that emphaises that sense of detachment she has with everyone in the film. Sometimes Bardem's character will say something that Mother clearly disagrees with, Lawrence will shoot him an expression of confusion or distress that he gently brushes off or dismisses. They don't feel like a married couple up until a turning point halfway through the film. In the second half, Bardem is much more engaging and loving with her, but due to certain circumstances, things begin to decline yet again. Harris and Pfeiffer both give great performances, Pfeiffer is particularly memorable as the sinister, seductive woman who picks at Mother throughout the film, adding fuel to the fire of distress. Again, her and Harris both share that same dynamic with Lawrenece, acting as though she is invisible at times and that she has very little importance to them.

Once again, Aronofksy proves that his direction is second to none. Here, he makes extensive use of tracking shots and close ups of Lawrence to really put the audience in her shoes. Some have been critical towards the amount of close ups used, but I think they were helpful in getting us behind Lawrence's character. The fact that we are constantly with Mother helps us to experience her feelings and emotions, in this case, irritation and distress. Aronofsky displays an excellent talent for inducing anxiety in his audience. The lack of score and extensive use of tracking shots essentially puts us behind Mother's eyes. This proves useful for building suspense at times as it constantly leaves us waiting for something to appear around the next corner. However, it's in the second half of the film where Aronofsky truly fills his audience with anguish, bombarding them with what can only be described as sheer chaos that builds and builds into a crescendo of madness. We follow Mother through it all and it is a thoroughly disorienting experience altogether. Not since Children of Men has a director been so successful in really putting the audience right in the middle of the action to invoke sheer distress. You feel like shouting at the screen in pure frustration in the hope that somebody will just listen for once.

The film eventually builds to what is sure to go down as the most controversial moment in cinema this year, I won't spoil anything, but it's certainly not for the faint hearted. This is perhaps where the most peoples main criticisms lie regarding Mother! but Aronofsky insists that it is crucial to the central theme of the film. It didn't bother me so much, but I can see how it could effect some negatively. However, as Aronofsky would tell you, if you think it's unnecessary you're missing the point. Without giving too much away, the film carries some strong themes about the environment that Aronofksy conveys subtly throughout. Bearing this in mind, it is understandable why he felt the need to go to such extreme lengths in the films final act. Those of you expecting some grand twist or explanation may be disappointed at the end of it all, I heard plenty of people in the cinema chatting about how they wished that they walked out earlier. However, the film doesn't aim to provide the audience with a twist. It is a surreal and dreamlike film, that focuses more on its thematic elements than surprising the audience at the end. Needless to say, Aronofsky is superb at expressing these themes and provoking thought from the audience.

Mother! is a nightmarish insight into the life of a woman who often feels neglected and ignored by those around her. Aronofsky is excellent at conveying these emotions to the audience so that the film becomes very experiential, creating a consistent air of distress and disorientation that holds up right until the end. Lawrence is fantastic in the leading role and is excellent at invoking the audiences empathy and expressing her increasingly fractured emotions. She gives a truly harrowing performance that could very well earn her another Oscar nomination. Mother! is a film that tests its audience and pushes them to the very limit, bringing out emotions of pure anxiety. It practically begs you to hate it, but with such talented direction and performances it is hard to hate such a well-crafted piece of cinema. Aronofsky outdoes himself yet again with Mother! and while a thoroughly enjoyed it, it is sure to be one of the years most divisive films yet.