One Insane Mind Trip

Rating: 6/10 (21 September 2017)

From the creative mind of "Requiem for a Dream" and "Black Swan", Darren Arronofsky returns after a three year hiatus to bring audiences this psychological mind-bending film that has proved immensely divisive. However don't let the controversy surrounding the film give a false impression, this Arronofsky piece is probably his most unique offering yet.
To briefly explain the plot without giving too many spoilers, a married couple (Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem) are renovating a large country estate when two mysterious strangers (Oscar nominees Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer) arrive at their home and bizarre occurrences begin to unfold. The film eventually descends into a torrid fever dream until its heart-stopping climax.
Director Darren Arronofsky knows how to assemble a prestigious cast and this film is no exception: 1. Jennifer Lawrence really delivers a mature performance that may not quite rival her work in 2010's "Winter's Bone", but her descent into paranoia is actually believable as she slowly starts to unravel as the amount of strangers in her home chips away at her normally solid façade. However the actress's chemistry with costar Javier Bardem seems a little less solid as the two characters seem too detached at certain times. There are tender moments where the actors' chemistry does appear more genuine, but the age difference to me was unsettling (given Bardem is near 50 while Lawrence is in her mid 20s); there is even an in-joke from co-star Michelle Pfeiffer's character about Lawrence's character being Bardem's daughter not his wife. Lawrence's climatic breakdown at the film's finale is probably the most adrenaline-rushing and heartbreaking farewell the actress has ever given as she has finally decided to end her torment despite her want for happiness throughout the narrative. 2. Javier Bardem as Lawrence's husband makes for an enigmatic figure as we never really get to know much about him. The actor imbues some tenderness into his relationship with Lawrence (already mentioned the overall flatness of their chemistry), but also masks a sinister demeanor behind the friendly-looking face; a trademark for the actor in other roles like "No Country for Old Men". We don't learn much about Bardem's character due to his secretive nature, but the film's first half hints that there is a dark purpose behind him and his actions especially when it comes to Jennifer Lawrence's Mother accusing her husband of being selfish and only caring about his own needs and desires as opposed to her; though he tries to tell her he does care about her. Does he really is up to the viewer's interpretation. 3. In what are basically cameo roles, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer as a mysterious couple are the catalysts for the ensuing chaos of the film's second and third acts. All we learn is that Harris plays a doctor and Pfeiffer is his pretty yet strangely aloof spouse and meet their sparring sons (an event that has a profound impact during the film's intense second act and a main drive for the start of Lawrence's Mother's deteriorating mental state). The genders each form a bizarre chemistry as we see Bardem and Harris bonding while Pfeiffer and Lawrence are wary of each other and a mild antagonism bubbles, but doesn't quite explode. There is might be a strange symbolism in Harris and Pfeiffer's characters that connects them to our two leads, but there is never a clear answer as the couple disappears halfway through the film and are never seen or mentioned again.
Retaining the director's traditional dark atmosphere, Arronofsky does include numerous daytime scenes to evoke an unsettling serenity that eventually dissolves into nighttime chaos. The first half of the film is like many Arronofsky films where the basic action and characters are introduced, but unlike some of the director's prior dark films this is one that turns almost into an MTV fever dream in its third act. Is there an occult message when masses of fanatics turn up at the home of Lawrence and Bardem or is there a message of the difference between isolation and socialization? There is never a clear answer as the film veers from unsteady tranquility into a maddening nightmare that can only lead to tragedy (a common theme in Arronofsky's other works). While the camera-work is impressive as expected from Arronofsky, the biggest flaw is his use of shaky cam during one intense scene early in the film between three characters; the shaky cam only stops when the fight finally ends, your head will definitely spend several minutes spinning before you can settle back. Even in the film's third act, the visuals become overwhelming and intense as the action transitions deeper and deeper into a waking nightmare before there is a moment of respite.
A film not for the faint of heart or a novice of the Darren Arronofsky filmography, take caution when viewing 'mother!". You won't comprehend the story at first, there will be numerous questions to ponder.