Let’s get this out of the way first: Mother! is certainly not for everyone.
This surreal film features a nameless couple living at a home in the middle of nowhere. The female protagonist played by Jennifer Lawrence is the calm homemaker in this relationship while her husband (Javier Bardem) is an irritable, narcissistic poet.
The lady’s sense of serenity begins to dissipate when a mysterious man (Ed Harris) shows up and makes himself comfortable in her home.
As more and more people (including a scary Michelle Pfeiffer) show up at her home, the lady’s irritation and fear of her unwanted guests is magnified.
Too bad nobody listens to her whenever she says “no”. Worse, her husband enjoys all the attention coming from these strangers.
JLaw accepts that some viewers rather watch paint dry than sit through Mother!
It’s in these frenzied, agoraphobic scenes of the lady feeling helpless in her own home that compels viewers to leave the cinema half-way.
You can get a break from all that when the film zooms in on Lawrence’s eerily radiant face, and your mind starts wondering … like why is she glowing like a K-pop idol? Is she supposed to be an android?
If you can stomach all that chaos, then perhaps you’ll be better equipped for what is going to happen next. Warning: it doesn’t get any better for her.
Overall, Mother! is a tragic, painful reminder of the madness that exists in the real world.
This psychological thriller could be an exhilarating, cathartic experience for some. But this also depends on how you make sense of all it all.
Mother!
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Brian Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson
