mother!

mother! (2017)

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Michelle Pfeiffer, Domhnall Gleeson, and Kristen Wiig

Directed by Darren Aronofsky

Written by Darren Aronofsky

Summary (in 500 words or less):  A woman known only as "mother" (Jennifer Lawrence) has recently moved into a large under-renovation home with her husband, a struggling poet known only as "Him" (Javier Bardem).  When a man (Ed Harris) shows up on their doorstep, Him invites the man only much to the chagrin of mother.  The man overstays his welcome, in fact inviting his wife (Michelle Pfeiffer) to the home where their sexually charged repartee doesn't sit well with mother.  Eventually more members of the man's family show up causing much chaos.  Eventually, mother becomes pregnant...which opens up a whole other can of beans and sets the story reeling in all kinds of directions.

• Had I not known the allegorical nature of this piece prior to watching it, I would've undoubtedly hated it.  However, knowing what writer-director Darren Aronofsky was going for made me appreciate it much more.  So then that begs the question -- if the writer/director hasn't explained things enough that you need background before you go into a movie, is the movie a success?  My rating below showcases that I'm not sure I know the answer to that question.
• mother! is an allegorical retelling of Earth's creation, Adam and Eve, and how temptation changes the landscape of all our lives.  Not exactly a story that would appeal to the masses in a cinematic manner and the film proved to be an epic failure at the box office in part because it was marketed as a horror film -- while it certainly has all the markings of a horror film, it's not "scary" in a jump-out-of-your-seat kind of manner.  What's scary is Aronofsky's tension-filled direction as we see this story unfold through the eyes of "mother" and the chaos that's slowly tearing her world apart.  
• Jennifer Lawrence is by no means my favorite actress -- in fact, I think she's a bit overrated -- but she's perfectly capable here and held my attention throughout.  It's also quite nice to see Michelle Pfeiffer onscreen again in a surprisingly sultry, sexy role that she more than adequately tackles.
• mother! is the type of movie that I may watch again a few years down the line and appreciate even more in large part because I think that what Aronofsky is trying to do here is utterly unique.  That said, it certainly isn't going to appeal to the masses and it gets a bit too messy in its final act to really pull me in completely.  However, for those who call themselves cinephiles, I'd give this one a go if you passed on it in theaters like I did.  You're in for, at the very least, an interesting experience.  My recommendation, however, is to google "darren aronofsky mother allegory symbolism" before you do so and prep yourself with what each actor is signifying.  It'll be tremendously beneficial if you do.

The RyMickey Rating:  either a B or a D