I recently saw this film, as I had intended to, at the start of the year. Not knowing details of the story beforehand, I must say I was blown away. It definitely exceeded my expectations. Not necessarily because of what the main characters of the story experience, but because of the quality of filmmaking of a very different kind of story. This is my take on the film.
THE MAIN CAST
Javier Bardem…. The writer
Jennifer Lawrence…. The writer’s wife
Ed Harris…. First visitor to writer’s home (A doctor)
Michelle Pfeiffer…. First visitor’s wife
THE BASIC PLOT
The story starts in a ruined setting which suddenly sees the ruins turn into a large home with a woman waking up on a bed. This is the writer’s wife. At this point, it just appears to be some fancy special effect at the film's start. I don’t recall any names being taken in the film, so I’ll just refer to them as their characters. We see the writer shortly. He and his wife seem to be completely in love with each other.
Everything seems normal until they are paid a visit by a doctor one night, looking for a “bed and breakfast” accommodation. Then onwards, is when we start noticing the differences in the writer and his wife’s nature. The doctor apparently has nowhere to go, and the writer is all too thrilled with new company as they don’t get many visitors. Nothing suspicious yet. The writer’s wife seems uneasy, but is accepting towards the stranger's overnight stay as he also seems to have some health problems. But this is the first of many visits, as the couple are then joined by the doctor’s wife, his sons and subsequently tons more random people who are big fans of the writer.
This is where it starts to get a bit weird. The writer’s wife is greatly disturbed by the events that follow the doctor’s arrival and understandably so, as she has complete strangers doing all kinds of things in her huge home, ranging from the doctor’s son committing murder, the dead’s blood somehow impacting floorboards and the basement below like perhaps acid would, random people making out in her bedroom and other parts of the home, having a church like session in some parts of the house, some people inexplicably offering to help her finish painting the walls and loads of other strange things, some gunfire and killings included. The writer is cool through all this, and seems to revel in all the hustle-bustle and attention. This is when the viewer would start trying hard to make sense of the film.
The writer’s wife understandably seeks respite from all this and it almost goes to the verge of it seeming like a plot hole that the writer’s wife would find the writer’s acceptance of all this strange and that the writer would be accepting of the extremely morbid and insanely bizarre events that follow, considering both seem like a peacefully happily married couple at the start. We are also constantly haunted by a seemingly unrelated vision the writer’s wife has - apparently of a womb, throughout the film – which appears dry at times and seems alive and throbbing on other occasions. We don't really know what it symbolizes until the latter stages.
Despite all of this, at no point does it seem like the writer is not in love with his wife or vice versa. However, there is good reason for all events narrated thus far, as we eventually understand. It would only be fair if you discover the rest and the meaning behind the strange events that materialize, by yourself.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FILM
1) One would really start thinking once the events get weird, but it all adds up in the end, if you are paying enough attention throughout. It probably works best as a fantasy / mystery / thriller although because of the gore and weird happenings, it probably counts as “horror” for some.
2) I think Jennifer Lawrence’s performance as the troubled housewife, trying to make sense of things and doing the best she can under her circumstances, is very good.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s supporting turn also leaves an impact on you. The viewer is constantly thinking about her true motives, her character is portrayed as such and she pulls it off pretty well.
3) In a way, the story highlights the almighty as an entity, primarily driven by love and occasionally the urge to create.
Much in the way the ancient Greeks believed their gods to be - Their gods' existence only had meaning as long as the gods were loved by someone. The gods had the whole world to attend to, as the entire world is their creation. Not any single aspect. They had to fix anything and everything.
4) Director Darren Aronofsky has done quite a job with this film and he is no stranger to mind benders. In my opinion, this is a very well executed film.
5) There is a “reset” of sorts involved, not a time loop but only a provision to resurrect the wishes / plans of the almighty, should he choose to, and if he is left with the means to. One won’t understand this statement unless one watches the entire film.
6) The creepiest scene was probably when the writer’s wife, upon returning from the basement, seeing the things which she does, suddenly sees the doctor’s son (a murderer) appear from behind, and make the comments he makes, in the way he makes it.
But “horror” wasn’t really the strongest point in the film. The best scenes for me, were the “ending” moments, when it all sort of came together.
7) The screenplay is probably apt and the scoring not too bad either, for the kind of film it is. The dialogues and feelings are well suited to the scenarios and characters.
8) The title “Mother!” seems ill suited to the film. The point of the film turned out to be very little about any “mother” although there were two. But that won’t hinder you in any way, in appreciating the film.
To conclude, I think the film had several production merits. I’ll say most of the time I sat watching this, unraveling the happenings in my head, this appeared to be a fascinating work of art and ultimately a good product in its genre. It’s probably been some time since I last watched a morbid masterpiece such as this. I’d rate it 9.5 / 10.
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