The hellish chaos in the second half would unnerve even the strong-willed with intense mental stimulation through graphic sound and imagery. It is what the world means to Aronofsky where Mother! speaks of a one-way love that gives and gives unconditionally to insatiable takers, one that is depicted in religious scriptures and arguably not found in society.
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From an esteemed filmmaker who has been known for provocative works, it would always be difficult for Darren Aronofsky to match or surpass his own masterpieces. Aronofsky appears to have faithfully followed his heart of creativity in similar veins to come up with possibly his most audacious work in the form of Mother! that opens in cinemas shortly after its premiere at Venice and Toronto.
Audacious is an understatement to what one may expect from the 120-minute psychological horror thriller. With minimal pre-release materials, it would be difficult for one to fully guess what Mother! would be about – even for fans who are familiar with Aronofsky. It would therefore be in all’s interest for those who have seen the film to not spoil it with details.
Details – something that Aronofsky has implemented religiously as every aspect of the film is planned for. Even the chaos that the film gears up to appall in the second half - every frame was designed.
Mother! narrates primarily through the perspective of mother (played by the impeccable Jennifer Lawrence). She lives peacefully with her husband who is a poet simply credited as Him with the capital H (played by Javier Bardem) until a man (Ed Harris) and woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) barges into their house and lives.
The first half of the film establishes the dynamics between these four characters and also forms the foundation of what Aronofsky is getting to (even though it is not possible to fully anticipate what’s to come). Incorporating religious references loosely to support Aronofsky’s view of the world today is one of the strongest values of Mother! but may unfortunately be difficult for some to appreciate them.
Akin to a piece of art, Mother! is crafted in a manner that enables multiple interpretations. Some would call it biblical while others may label it political. This opinion would even think that it’s possibly autobiographical where Aronofsky relates to Him in some form. Mother! also noticeably adopts a female point of view, which serves as interesting food for thought.
Teaming up with most of his usual collaborators, Matthew Libatique’s photography (shot mostly on 16mm) prescribes a strong atmosphere that is uncomfortably intimate with the constant handheld close-ups and insanely horrifying with the never-ending nightmare co-achieved by Andrew Weisblum’s editing. The sound design also heightens senses with the wood floor creaks.
The hellish chaos in the second half would unnerve even the strong-willed with intense mental stimulation through graphic sound and imagery. It is what the world means to Aronofsky where Mother! speaks of a one-way love that gives and gives unconditionally to insatiable takers, one that is depicted in religious scriptures and arguably not found in society.
One of his best works till date, Mother! could be Aronofsky and Lawrence’s best shot at this year’s award season as a provocative and powerful masterpiece signed off by its talented creator with an exclamation mark.
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