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 mother! 

Rate This Film
A 55%  55%  [ 6 ]
B 27%  27%  [ 3 ]
C 9%  9%  [ 1 ]
D 9%  9%  [ 1 ]
F 0%  0%  [ 0 ]
Total votes : 11

 mother! 
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Mother! (stylized as mother!)[a] is a 2017 American psychological horror film written and directed by Darren Aronofsky, and stars Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer. The plot follows a young woman whose tranquil life with her husband at their country home is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious couple.

The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 74th Venice International Film Festival and premiered on September 5, 2017.[4] It is scheduled to be released in the United States on September 15, 2017, by Paramount Pictures.

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Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:45 am
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Post Re: Mother!
I absolutely loved this. It's incredibly tense and just builds and builds until the insane, batshit finale that had me equal parts laughing and cringing. I thought what it was trying to say resonated incredibly well. All the performances were great but best in show were Jennifer Lawrence (who goes through the ringer in this) and Michelle Pfieffer, who's fantastic in a crucial supporting role. I think this is going to leave a lot of people angry as it isn't exactly what it is advertised as, but it's far from boring and you never really know what to expect. Darren Aronofsky's direction is also impeccable too and the technical aspects are aces. A demented funhouse of a movie. One of the year's best. A

It's best to go into this knowing as little about it as possible, FYI.


Tue Sep 12, 2017 11:10 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
That last section of the film... bonkers.


Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:07 am
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Post Re: Mother!
In Mother!, the seventh feature film by Darren Aronofsky, God is a self-absorbed poet in search of inspiration; Cain and Abel feud over inheritance; and original sin is committed by prying, ungainly house guests. This is an ambitious, exhilarating, and thorny film. Its blend of Biblical allegory, ecological anxiety, and fever-dream showmanship is more graceful and intriguing than in the director's prior film, the bloated and misjudged Noah. Mother! is, in its singular way, a highly entertaining experience and certainly a hypnotic one, partly because the viewer is never sure what diabolical and/or insane feat lies around the next corner. And it is as well-acted as one might expect from a film headlined by Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and an acidic, scene-stealing Michelle Pfeiffer. Lawrence deserves immense credit for infusing an archetypal and largely reactive character with such humanity; we sympathize with and fear for her despite knowing the action is unfolding in a symbolic sandbox rather than any approximation of reality. Also impressive is her physical commitment: she is in almost every frame, frequently in extreme closeup, and required to portray a succession of punishing, imperceptibly rapid-fire shifts in emotion and state of mind.

A-

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Sat Sep 16, 2017 4:55 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
I notice Aronofsky's most warmly regarded films are the ones where he is not playing mad rabbi: Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, and Black Swan.

My own personal order of preference:

1. The Fountain
2. Requiem for a Dream
3. Mother!
4. The Wrestler
5. Black Swan
6. Pi
7. Noah

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Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:08 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
This is probably the best performance Jennifer Lawrence has given. Restraint for the first 2 thirds and beserk for the last, but it never feels off like some of her other performances.


Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:12 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
as for Aronofsky ranking:

1. Black Swan
2. Requiem for a Dream
3. mother!
4. The Wrestler
5. Noah
6. The Fountain


Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:14 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
This is such a great movie. Audiences are idiots for that CinemaScore ;)


Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:29 pm
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Post Re: Mother!
I fucking loved this. I couldn't take my eyes off the screen for the entire running time and the movie is still lingering in my head a few days after I've seen it. Don't remember the last time that happend. Jennifer Lawrence deserves another Oscar for this, she's the heart and soul of mother!. The last third is just crazy stuff and contains a scene I'm never going to get out of my head. I was deadly tired when the movie began and packed with adrenaline when it ended. Mother! is an experience.


Sun Sep 17, 2017 2:30 am
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Post Re: Mother!
Yeah, this was seriously great film making. Jennifer Lawrence gives what may be her best performance ever, she was simply captivating and it's her movie 100%. The supporting cast is all great and it's a gorgeous movie to look at. It's deep, it's insane and there is a lot to think about after. I haven't shaken it since I saw it Friday night. I can't wait to see it again.

A

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Mon Sep 18, 2017 10:36 am
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Post Re: mother!
mother! is a better horror movie than 80% of the horror movies I have seen. It starts by portraying the most mundane of yuppie fears with the uninvited guest and all its attendant irritations, and I liked how quickly and naturalistically it spiralled out of control. The overall looping structure with the crystal is quite elegant. Still, mother! seemed a little too straightforward for Aronofsky and thus merits a solid *B*.


Wed Sep 20, 2017 1:42 am
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Post Re: mother!
I would have liked this movie alot more if it had ended with Jlaw in the flames. Showing the loop and making Bardem God just make the whole thing kinda silly to me, ala The Fountain. The first two thirds is more like Black Swan but with an unappreciated house wife instead of a dancer and that was a movie I was into.


Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:40 am
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Post Re: mother!
I don't know what I'd rate it, but it's a brilliant film. Lawrence is incredible.


Fri Sep 22, 2017 1:53 am
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Post Re: mother!
Magnus wrote:
lmao this is most on the surface attempt for religious allegory that I may have ever seen. Jesus Christ.

outside one moment, everything about this has zero surprise or shock or impact if you have any sort of religious study knowledge. The Cain and Abel moment was particularly a laughable allegorical attempt for some deeper meaning that really isn't there. Though that was probably the most enjoyable part of the film because it was the only time I laughed at the film.

And if you want to view it as a analysis of the "artist/muse" relationship...its okay? Like, what is it really saying about it other than just torturing Lawerence character (fyi...Aronofsky treats women shitty in his films and it's because hes an asshole and misogynist, not cause hes a feminist. wake up people).

I hate that this film is getting so much "hate" because it gives it a sort of "omg its too smart for most people" status that it really doesn't deserve it. It's frankly one of the laziest attempts at making deep art that I've seen in cinema in a long time. The film community needs to be better and not give this film credit for its laziness. If you're going to make arty allegorical film, make a real fucking art allegorical film that isn't so fucking obvious.


Eh, the group I chatted with after the screening didn't pick up on the biblical metaphors until I brought them up after the fact.

I think the issue is more than mother!'s symbolism IS the story. Most stories use symbols to enhance the skeleton of the plot.

Here the use of symbolism as story made it so that the film didn't have any real characters, grounding or ambiguity.

That said the chaotic spectacle of the last third was enough for me to give it good marks. I enjoy watching Aronofsky link biblical imagery to our societies' impending ecological collapse no matter how unsubtle. On a visceral level that climax had moments that reminded me of Children of Men, even if it suffered from not being grounded in anything approaching reality.

As for the "artist/muse" relationship I'm guessing it's it's a way for Aronofsky to confess his sins in his failed relationship with Rachel Weisz. I did think that Javier Bardem was perfect for that character. Also this was the most fun Michelle Pfieiffer has had on-screen in several years. Jennifer Lawrence does the heavy lifting but I don't think she was nearly as effectively reactive as Natalie Portman in Black Swan.


Sat Sep 23, 2017 9:31 pm
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Post Re: mother!
He does put the gory in allegory.


Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:18 am
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Post Re: mother!
Nicely stolen, tree.

So now we know you're Canadian. :thumbsup:

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Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:34 am
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Post Re: mother!
Great minds think alike - I should think that knowledge of my own mad word skills precedes me.


Sun Sep 24, 2017 12:40 am
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Post Re: mother!
Really enjoyed this movie, J-Law seriously carried it to great heights, IMO. My wife is currently 8 months pregnant so this movie was a little on-the-nose for her, but she still proclaimed it to be her favorite this year, and it's my second favorite so far after Get Out.

A

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Fri Oct 06, 2017 10:23 pm
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Post Re: mother!
Watched it Again Last night.... Fucking MASTERPIECE

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Fri Oct 13, 2017 10:59 am
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Post Re: mother!
What a batshit film lol, but I'm not going to lie I kind of loved it. I actually knew a lot about the religious/symbolic stuff before going in, but I still wasn't really prepared for what was about to happen. Much like Good Time this is a movie you have to see to believe, especially when shit really hits the fan in the third act. Easily the best performance I've seen from J-law period and not only is her acting impressive here, but like David said her physical commitment to the role is something to admire as well. Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer are great in this too even though the latter aren't in it that much, but I must also give credit to Domhnall Gleeson. The scene between him and his real life brother which I thought was a cool touch is just intense as hell, and is what started the never ending freight train of insanity for me.

B+


Mon Dec 11, 2017 2:19 pm
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Post Re: mother!
I loved this film and actually recommended a few friends and they liked it, these people would in general never go to a movie like this. And while this is great in terms of acting and the use of allegory but it is a lazy attempt in terms of what Magnus said, still its a Marvel to see, specially for the big finale.

7/10


Mon Dec 11, 2017 10:27 pm
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mother!

This film is fucking nuts. But also just brilliant. I almost had a panic attack. Jesus Christ. Poor girl. Lawrence gives the performance of the year. And Pfeiffer gives the second best performan...just kidding. But she does give a highly effective performance. I won't be getting that shot of the baby out of my head any day soon. What Aronofsky does with this film is nothing short of brilliance. I haven't completely figured it all out yet. I know it's symbolic of God and Mother Nature but beyond that my biblical knowledge needs topping up. Anyway, it is completely thrilling stuff. I want to rewatch it but will have to wait a few weeks for my shell shock to lessen and palette to clear.

A


Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:42 pm
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Post Re: mother!
This is a pretty crazy film, well especially in the last part, before that it was actually mostly boring. I guess I don't really get the film, there's several stuff going on of which I can contemplate what it's supposed to represent, but I'm not sure or least don't know what it wants to tell me. Besides the pretty confusing set of events, the film is well acted and I was interested to know where everything would lead to. But by the end it hadn't achieved much for me, although it wasn't disappointing either as I was never anticipating the film much, I just still wanted to see it because it was well received by some here. It's just alright really, I liked a few of the sequences in this, the culmination of the Harris encounter with the sons, Lawrence tracing the blood through the floor and the frenetic house riot. There was also something to the reveal of the ending with the crystal and something of a cycle reset, I was just not really impressed overall. Aranofsky has made some good films in the past but his most recent work has been average.

C+


Sat Aug 11, 2018 3:20 am
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Post Re: mother!
MovieDude wrote:
Eh, the group I chatted with after the screening didn't pick up on the biblical metaphors until I brought them up after the fact.

I think the issue is more than mother!'s symbolism IS the story. Most stories use symbols to enhance the skeleton of the plot.

Here the use of symbolism as story made it so that the film didn't have any real characters, grounding or ambiguity.


So yeah, I didn't really pick-up on biblical metaphors while watching this.

And that last sentence is what I agree with in that the film didn't get through to me like this.


Sat Aug 11, 2018 3:37 am
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