Mommy

I had heard magnificent things about this 2014 film by Xavier Dolan, and I have to say after getting around to see it for myself that all of the praise is justified.

"Mommy" is anchored by three absolutely phenomenal performances by Anne Dorval, Antoine Olivier Pilon, and Suzanne Clement. It tells the story of a mother's fierce and at times borderline inappropriate love for her delinquent son and a shy neighbor with a sketchy past who enters their closed circle and bonds with both of them. Dolan plays around with aspect ratios, filming most of the movie in claustrophobic squares and rectangles, but occasionally and gloriously opening up the frame when the troubled youth's world shows signs of promise. The movie explores the impossible and heartbreaking decisions parents must sometimes make for the sake of their children, and the ending Dolan chooses for each of his characters is emotionally stirring in its own unique way.

Grade: A+

I've now seen four Xavier Dolan films; "I Killed my Mother" was my first (his too ;), and I thought it was a much better film. Although there are great similarities in the characters' dynamics, the characters in "I Killed my Mother" were simply more believable, and that made their plight - and the story - more interesting.

"Steve" in this movie has such a weird mania: he seems to know when he's being super-anti-social but simply doesn't care. (Is it possible he's named after "Steve-O"?)

I was surprised, in "I Killed...," how unlikable Dolan made his own character, but that story - about two people who had absolutely nothing in common but were forced to love each other anyway - seemed like a much truer story, and that movie also had genuine emotional moments - particularly the line "I would die tomorrow" (if you've seen it, you know). Where that movie was emotional, this movie is merely cringeworthy.

I've seen 4 Dolan features so far (not in the order he made them), and this is the first one for me that didn't (a) feature Dolan himself in a staring roll, and (b) have a gay sub-plot in the story. Both of these were disappointing to me, although he does replace himself with a young actor who would be simply stunning, if he wasn't constantly mugging for the camera - which is still fine for the movie, since we see it as part of his mental disorder.

Having seen previous Dolan movies, I've come to believe he "widens" the screen for fantasy scenes - this is clearly shown the second time in "Mommy" that he widens the screen, but I mention this to suggest that the mid-movie "Wonderwall" montage, which others have suggested was showing progress, is actually a fantasy.

Speaking of screen shape - this movie may be square, but on a wide screen, it appears vertical. Obviously, Dolan was trying make us feel visually "trapped" in the story, the same as his characters. Like wiring theater seats for an electric shock, this technique does work, but whether it makes this a better "movie" is debatable. It's not a deal-killer, but I think it honestly makes the movie less-fun to watch, and what do we watch movies for, if not to have fun?

Final comments on the beginning and ending (not really spoilers): The "alternative Canadian law" thing in the opening titles seems completely unnecessary, as "Steve" was more than dangerous enough for involuntary psychiatric commitment with or without an alternate universe. And the ending! Well... it seemed inevitable through the whole movie that it would end this way, because it really didn't have anywhere else to go. Even the final shot: seems it's been the final shot in many other movies with a similar subject. MANY other movies.

So, not a bad art film, to be sure, but in my opinion, it's hardly Dolan's best movie, and certainly not his most accessible... I would NOT recommend it to anyone who's not already a fan.

In a Montreal suburb, a single mother with financial and employment difficulties reunites with her violent teenage son who is being released from a detention centre. More chaos ensues.

It would be very tempting to call this film a "kitchen sink drama". There are many explosive scenes which are cathartic. Most films would have only a few such scenes, maybe only one at the climactic finale. While the catharsis might seem too much, every one of those scenes works well because of the great talent of director Xavier Dolan and his equally talented cast.

There are thankfully lighter scenes that show the love in the dysfunctional family and their ability to have fun especially as they are joined by a mysterious neighbour across the street, Kyla, who seems to have her own troubles. Her troubles seem lessened as she bonds with the unusual mother-son duo. Kyla's situation seems a bit too mysterious at times. As a subplot, it could have used a few hints to tap viewers further into the reasons why she prefers the family across the street to her own.

The film's greatest strengths are two scenes near the end. One is the perfectly executed climactic scene. The other is the one that follows - a very melancholy scene of transition with which most viewers could sadly identify.

As mentioned, Dolan has directed a superb cast. As the troubled teenager, Antoine Olivier Pilon has the perfect balance of rage and vulnerability. As the neighbour Kyla, Suzanne Clément is very believable as someone facing change and loosening up especially when she has fits of uncontrollable laughter. As the mother, Anne Dorval gives Dolan another superb performance as she did with "I Killed My Mother" (2009). Her range in the final two pivotal scenes display true brilliance. - dbamateurcritic

RATING: 9/10

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT: Performance by Anne Dorval

Not what I expected. It's a film that features quite a lot of dark elements, but the film somehow manages to be really touching in such an odd, but effective way. I don't think it's flawless. The script has a few cracks here and there, and it sometimes feels a bit aimless in what it's trying to say. I also very much enjoyed Dolan's directorial touches, but many times they're a bit jarring and too stylistic for its own good. However, what I will not at all criticize is that 4-minute sequence near the beginning of its third act (you know which one). That glorious score with those images created a profoundly moving sequence, one of the most emotionally powerful scenes of the year. But that's how a lot of the film is. I liked it a lot, but it can feel like many great individual scenes and yet not as cohesive as a whole

The acting here is phenomenal though. The three leads and the places they go to are harrowing and they probably rise the material greatly. The ending was a bit too obvious and not very original, but I'll take it

Not as enamored with it as most, but I still found it to be a truly incredible experience that is no doubt so inherently interesting and entertaining, much like the only other Dolan film I've seen Tom at the Farm.

Wow! I was left with tears and emotional instability after watching this film. I mean this in the best way possible of course. I've never been so emotionally AND PHYSICALLY moved by a film. Mommy is so powerful and touching in so many ways because it captures a lot of problems, turmoils, and emotions that we all experience. In fact, it didn't feel like I was watching a film. I felt like I was living with these characters and experiencing everything they were going through. Laughing with the characters during their happiest moments, crying with the characters through their darkest times, and feeling frightened of what would happen next were all sentiments I felt throughout the film. This brings me to one of the most amazing aspects of the film-the acting.

The acting was absolutely superb! Everyone was terrific. The three main characters depicted by Anne Dorval, Suzanne, Clément, and Antoine Olivier Pilon were so engaging and compelling. They WERE their characters. I didn't feel like I was watching actors acting-it was so real! Bravo to all the whole cast!

The cinematography was breathtakingly beautiful. Xavier Dolan films are always a treat because they are all so visually stunning. Dolan captures many of the activities we do such as dancing with our family and friends, falling onto our beds, riding our bikes/longboards, and karaoking so majestically. Dolan is truly talented.

I was very excited to see Mommy for the longest time and I was not disappointed. I was transported to a different, magical, yet realistic world. I want to thank everyone involved in the production of Mommy. It was extremely powerful and so painfully relatable. I think about this film everyday and still get emotional. The soundtrack was lovely-I listen to it everyday and the songs evoke so much more meaning now. EVERYBODY, GO WATCH MOMMY!