Mother Mary
Review by Mark Woodring
A24 has traditionally been one of my “go-to” names. It’s theirs; I’m in.
Lately it feels as though they’ve had a few more misses than hits, but with Mother Mary having played at the last (real) Sundance Film Festival and starring Anne Hathaway, hope sprung eternal.
But was that hope justified?
**NOTE: Read Mark’s review below, then watch as he and Ryan discuss the film in more detail. Remember, you can listen to all our discussions of this and every other movie directly over on ACAST. Stay tuned.**
112 Minutes, Rated R
Written by David Lowery
Directed by David Lowery
Synopsis:
Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam Anselm, on the eve of her comeback performance.
Put simply: mostly.
Mother Mary is a slow burn exercise in listening to its characters and making sense of what they’re saying. The dialogue is multi-faceted and layered, requiring the audience to actually pay attention to the screen.
There are no explosions, no big brawls, and no CGI spectacles (though there is a bit of CGI here and there… you’ll see). This isn’t a Marvel or DC superhero romp, it’s a film made for those who like to be immersed in a film and not simply “consume” it.
Lowery’s previous film, The Green Knight, took this idea to the extreme, which was too far for most folks, but Mother Mary manages to contain that for most of its run-time.
Mostly.
There’s that word again.
Mostly, Mother Mary worked for me. The interplay between Hathaway’s Mary and Coel’s Sam is really great stuff. The dialogue is both intimate and snippy, while managing to also be meaningful but evasive.
Near the end, though, Lowery seemed to de-volve into what put most folks off about The Green Knight: an excessive, dreamlike ambiguity, untethered from the rest of the film. While this didn’t ruin the film for me, it may put some casual film-goers off.
Ultimately, Mother Mary is worth watching for the stellar performances of its leads, Hathaway and Coel, both of whom have flung down the gauntlet for Awards Season consideration, as well as for it’s breathtaking cinematography. The film’s use of light and shadow and creative framing is a joy to watch from a technical standpoint.
Check it out if you’re open to a film that is more than a bit different than the usual multiplex fare.
Mother Mary is in theaters now and stars Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, and Hunter Schafer.
And remember, if the BEST thing you can say about a movie is that it’s “visually stunning,” then they’ve done something wrong.
Please don’t forget to LIKE, SHARE, and FOLLOW us on:
- Facebook (@vsmoviepodcast)
- X (@vsmoviepodcast)
- Instagram (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)
- Threads (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)
- YouTube (@visuallystunningmoviepodcast)
- Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE to our audio wherever you listen to podcasts (https://shows.acast.com/vsmoviepodcast)
And please, if you like what we do, consider helping us keep on entertaining you. You can use this handy link:
Or, you could check out the merch in Our Store:
Not only will you be helping us out if you pick up some merch, you get cool stuff to wear around (including the coveted WTFWT? logo!)
