If You Rate it Negatively You Didn't Understand It

Rating: 9/10 (16 September 2018)

That sounds pretentious, but hear me out. You can dislike something and still appreciate its merits. This is especially true of art movies like this one. Lawrence gives an amazing performance, but the true wins here are in the story and direction. The plot sometimes makes no sense to viewers - how realistic is it that this couple would show up and be allowed to stay, for instance - and is contrived, but it has to be. This is a visual story told through symbolism and it isn't afraid to get gritty, controversial, and unnerving in the way it presents itself. The real story of mother is one of a relationship. One that we all know about. One where one person gives everything and the other side only takes. One that is so cleverly disguised, however, that those watching on the outside - even those on the inside - may be confused into thinking that the love is real. The house is the first symbol. It represents the relationship. It burned down once before in his past relationship, but she is trying to build it back up. To make it new. You'll notice, however, that she is the only one working to make this house whole again. To improve it. He is too obsessed with his poetry - himself. When outsiders intrude upon the happy home he doesn't care about the damage they cause because they are paying attention to him - his glory. When she finally has enough and risks ending the relationship he gives her another reason to stay - the baby. It becomes the next symbol of the relationship. Something more personal because it's not a token of his past and it's something they created together. But once again he turns to his old ways with the publishing of his poem. This time it gets worse and everything descends into chaos. As the people tear down the walls she built he exclaims it isn't important. Still, he comes to her defense enough times to convince her that he means well - that he loves her - even as everything around them is destroyed. The publisher refers to her as the inspiration - this is one of the hooks he has in her. A lie to make it seem as if it isn't about just himself. This lie comes undone when the publisher gives the order to kill her. The only hope left is the baby which is still constantly put in danger throughout the chaos. After she gives birth he again turns back to his selfish ways. He wants the praise of the crowd and ends up sacrificing the child - and ultimately the relationship as she can stand no more. She is pushed to her breaking point and a relationship that should've ended long ago now ends in an unhealthy explosion of suppressed feelings that ultimately kills her. The relationship is dead and while he gets to go on doing what he does she gave it he all and as such is left completely dead. As a final insult he takes her heart as a trophy. Note that the former heart he had kept is the one thing he gets angry at the earlier couple for when they break it. The intruding woman doesn't understand why - a symbol of his selfishness, but he does care not because of what the past relationship meant to him, but because it was a trophy - a symbol of his sadism. He is a collector of hearts. Everything in this film is so straightforward I cannot understand how anyone could be confused. It plays out in chronological order. An emotionally abusive relationship that goes on for too long, with too much forgiveness, until it is too late and she is destroyed trying to save it. If you don't understand this then you may think of it as senseless and judge it only by the shock value. You'd be misjudging it, as whether you like it's message - or more importantly how it conveys its message - or not you can't deny that it does one hell of a job bringing it to life.