“Academy Award Winners Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem deliver unforgettable performances in Academy Award-Nominated Darren Aronofsky’s praised opus, the film shattered audiences and critics around the world. It’s been called “Darkly Exhilarating” (Just Chang, Los Angeles Times) and “Aronofsky’s most daring film yet” (Ben Croll, Indiewire). Experience the visually arresting psychological thriller that will leave your heart pounding and your mind blown!”
The synopsis on the back of the packaging doesn’t dare try to sum up such a complicated film, and I won’t begin to attempt such a feat either. Even after watching the trailer for the film countless times, I was not ready for what the film was, or the shape it took in guiding the viewer on a journey they soon won’t forget.
To say the film is polarizing is an understatement. If you take a look at the reviews of the film as I did on IMDB, you scroll down seeing ones or tens, and a more “love it or hate it” film has never existed. I fortunately was in the “love it” category, but I have been a fan of Aronofsky since Pi, and quite enjoy films rife with symbolism and meaning that seems to change for everyone who watches the film. One thing I will agree with the people who didn’t like the film is that it is a very hard film to watch. You have to be ready and invested in the story with the possibility of endless questions but no clear answers, just how you interpret the story. Unfortunately, that isn’t for everyone, and seems to be in the minority nowadays, as the masses seem to enjoy linear storylines where you are able to turn your brain off for two hours. Although I can understand the questions and frustrations on not getting straight answers from two hours of your time, I simply can’t understand the hostility that people have shown the film. Such is the internet, however, and if you enjoy films where you are bursting with questions that spawn conversations with your friends and family on deeper topics, you may enjoy the film and what it means to you.
Discussing anything about the film or its symbolism can compromise the journey in which a potential viewer may for his or her opinion of the film, so I am reluctant to even give my opinion of what the film is about, save that this is definitely something you want to watch with other people so you can have a discussion about it. During the film, you’ll spend a lot of time developing new theories, becoming frustrated with what you’re witnessing, and ultimately how you arrive at the end is up to you, but that is the beauty of film and the medium, in that it can mean something different to everyone who views it. It’s claustrophobic, frustrating, and beautiful.
Video
Mother! is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. The transfer is free of defects or blemishes of any kind. The majority of the film is rather dark, as it takes place in a dark house the entire film, and there is noticeable grain consistent with being shot on film, which Aronofsky opted to shoot on 16mm. If I could think of one adjective to describe the film it would be raw, which also translates to the video transfer as well.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dobly Atmos. Mother! is basically all dialogue, with a lot of utilization of the surrounds in the form of background noise and people all around. As far as I remember, even going back through the film, I don’t think there is any music in the film at all, save for what seems to be almost a chant that some of the followers create at one point in the film. It’s haunting at how simplistic it is yet so effective.
Special Features
- The Making of Mother!
- The Makeup FX of Mother!
Mother! is a film that you simply have to see yourself to form your own opinion. Although it seems hard to go into a film knowing absolutely nothing about it, that honestly is for the best, and will give the viewer a greater pleasure in finding the meaning that it gives themselves. As divided as viewers seem to be on it, it surely is one of Aronofsky’s more polarizing films that will be sure to provoke conversations between viewers from all walks of life.
