Film Review #167: MOTHER!
Film Review #167: Mother!
To say this film shook me would be putting it far too gently — it left me emotionally mortified. I will have to give it to director Darren Aronofsky for bravely pushing cinematic and philosophical boundaries with
Mother! (if I could self-insert–a masterpiece of literary art). Despite the major uproar the film has caused, often being quoted as “one of the most divisive films”, it is one of the only few (psychological) horror films that continues to unravel in my mind until this day. It definitely does not evoke the same tense feeling you felt watching
Hereditary (2018) or
Midsommar (2019), but you would leave the theatre either disoriented, with your mind scattered all over the place,
or wanting to puke from the sheer brutality.
Some film critics argue that this movie would not be able to stand alone as a plot-driven movie if you were not well-versed in environmentalism or biblical literalism — and that you would be very confused upon first watch. While I am not well-versed in either of those two, I still found this movie a very thought-provoking watch. Mother! after all, is an arthouse film. Yes, I did struggle to wrap my head around the underlying themes of surrealist cinema and magical realism, but I found myself enjoying and appreciating it way more after understanding the hidden motifs that Aronofsky meticulously plotted throughout the movie.
Mother! is a biblical allegory, but my favourite interpretation of the film (which has been confirmed by Aronofsky himself) is how humans are Mother Nature’s biggest threats–also referencing climate change. Mother (played by Jennifer Lawrence) symbolises Mother Nature, while she and Man (played by Javier Bardem) reside in a house representing planet Earth. They welcome waves of guests who show up unannounced until it hits a breaking point. The humans begin vandalising and destroying their house, showing their utter disregard and ignorance towards Mother’s and Man’s warm hospitality. The film underscores the overarching concept of reincarnation, just like how Mother Nature or God can create life, they too can take it.
Matthew Libatique, the Director of Photography, draws viewers into the film through cinematography, executed with subtle genius. If you felt like you were sucked into the whole pandemonium that Mother experienced, it was likely due to the amount of centred-frame single shots, which constantly adjusted to either shoot her from the back, or the front. The immersive experience is enhanced even more since they are also shot at eye-level in a hand-held fashion.
Viewers are almost “deceived”, as the initial cool and earthy tones of the film seem to establish a peaceful and serene atmosphere, before steeply transitioning to more rich and soul-stirring hues of red, brown, and orange.
Halfway into the film, I was left almost gasping for air from the impending sense of helplessness I felt from Lawrence’s remarkable performance. I loved how you could clearly observe her manic state of mind as she slowly, yet inevitably descends into a boiling resentment towards everyone around her.
All in all, I loved this movie. It leaves you confused for all the necessary reasons. Aronofsky did an excellent job at dissecting profound issues in a fashion that only he can emulate; so much so that the baby surf scene continues to plague my mind at 9:27 in the morning when I am eating breakfast.
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About the author: A horror film junkie with journalistic grit.
This review is published as part of *SCAPE’s Film Critics Lab: A Writing Mentorship Programme, with support from Singapore Film Society.
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