An emotionally exploitative, roller coaster ride

Rating: 7/10 (11 December 2017)

Alas this movie comes already saddled with the baggage of it's controversial and divided reviews, but I found Mother! to be a curious, enjoyable, emotionally draining but ultimately highly satisfying film.
In many ways the approach of this movie reminded me of Joel Schumacher's "Falling Down" in that it takes the viewer on a close emotional journey with the lead character (Jennifer Lawrence) where you initially empathise strongly... and then there comes a point when you realise what is happening has turned completely bonkers and you've been going along with it for the past 20 minutes.
Many reviews have centred on the religious connotations of this film but I didn't see that myself when I watched it. The film continually and cleverly plays on your emotions and sympathies for it's entire length, pulling the strings one time after another. It gently stacks up more and more characters and situations of increasingly bizarre, offensive and ultimately dangerous nature until it's final scenes of confusion and desperation for Lawrence.
What a fabulous cast; the camera is never off the excellent Lawrence. Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer seem deliberately cast as part of Aranofsky's psychological game with the viewer, and Bardem produces another of his enigmatic, kooky performances to tie things up.
I hope that history will judge this film better than many of the reviews have done this year. It's hat tips to Rosemary's Baby are obvious and respectful I think. A film that deserves it's place in the Horror Hall of Fame.