Mother!
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Brian Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Kristen Wiig
Directed by: Darren Aronofsky
Rating: R
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
2017

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: A woman (Jennifer Lawrence) grows frustrated by the guests (Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer) her husband (Javier Bardem) invites into their home.

Review:

Tim: Mother! is certainly one of the most polarizing films of 2017. When I think back on this film, I'm really of two minds. The first is that it's pretty impressive what director Darren Aronofsy accomplished with this heavily symbolic, allegorical film. I had no idea what his point was (besides a few guesses) and after the film ended, I had to read a few articles to fully understand what his vision was. I admit it's kind of cool how he told this story, but worked hard to not let the audience know what the whole thing was about. So, part of me thinks of this film favorably.

Unfortunately, the larger part of me hated this movie. Without knowing what it was all about, it feels like we're stumbling down a dark hallway, continuously running into things and not knowing what. Plus, we're not even sure where the hallway leads or why we want to go down it. And, at certain points, we get turned around so we become increasingly frustrated because we're moving forward but we no longer know if it's in the right direction anymore. Looking back on the film, it makes sense. While you're watching it (if you went in cold like I did), it's one of the most frustrating experiences I've ever had. The movie is boring, but it's also confusing. Without the key to what the movie is about, so much of the film just doesn't make logical sense. And then, even the parts that do make sense are stunningly aggravating. We might sympathize with Jennifer Lawrence's character, but feeling close to her mental state is no way to spend two hours of your life. This movie felt like it took an eternity to finish and the experience was far, far from enjoyable.

Now, I'm not suggesting that Aronofsky's vision was bad. The idea is incredibly cool and I can also understand why he didn't want to give anything away. What he didn't calculate is what a miserable experience this would create for the audience. There's not even a hint that it'll all make sense in the end or that the destination will make the journey worthwhile. It's just scene after scene that frustrates and annoys. Aronofsky fails on the execution. He could have realized his vision in a way that didn't feel totally inaccessible to much of the audience. It's like he purposely sought to create negative feelings in the audience. That's fine, but don't be surprised when so many people hate your movie. Aronofsky completely botches the execution. He was so caught up in his grand, brilliant idea that he never stopped to think about what it would be like to watch this movie completely oblivious to his grand vision. This is the kind of film that makes you believe Aronofsky got so caught up in himself, in his artistic vision, in his talent- that he simply never considered other perspectives. This is an artistic film, yes- it's also a garbage movie. I've been a big fan of Aronofsky's crazy films, even the others I didn't love. I can't defend him here. His vision was cool, but he puts together an atrocious movie. The arrogance and the self-importance of him as a director bleeds into every frame. He probably will never look on this movie as the disaster it was. This movie earned its rare "F" CinemaScore. He can claim that people didn't share his vision or his movie was too elevated for audiences or whatever excuses he wants. The fact of the matter is that he made a crappy movie.

I feel bad for Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem. They certainly tried, and it's obvious they bought into Aronofsky's vision (which further alienates the audience, as it feels like everyone's in on the joke except us). They give good performances, but those are lost in the badness of the movie. Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer play such important roles, but when we don't fully understand what they are meant to represent, their performances come across as annoying and base.

For some people, especially those who buy into the "brilliance" of Aronofsky, they will undoubtedly defend the genius of this movie. That's fine. I'm all for applauding genius. I just don't believe there was any genius here. I believe Mother! is an example of a director who let his own self-importance run amok.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 4



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Black Swan, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain