This is the rare “Love it or hate it” debate where I absolutely love what’s being debated. Congratulations go to Jennifer Lawrence for starring in one of the boldest, most alienating films an A-list actress at the peak of her career ever has starred in. And director Darren Aronofsky has outdone his big-budget “Noah” for a more intimate but no less epic “big ideas” picture…
What Works: If you went in to “mother!” without knowing a thing about it, you may be extremely puzzled for a while before the allegories start clicking into place, but I’d like to at least give people the chance to discover it for themselves without spoiling much. I’ll just say that you’re in for stripped-down, almost-play level excellence in the first third before things spiral into a much grander design in the final third.
What Doesn’t: As many people (or more) will absolutely hate this movie–it received an “F” from Cinemascore audiences, the same tastemakers that gave XXX 3 an “A-“–and especially might if they don’t understand the allegory being presented, and even if I don’t hold it against them, viewers who “get it” will feel they’ve seen one of the Best Movies of the Year.
What I Would Have Done Differently: Just go see it…