An Artist’s Cry

It’ll come to no surprise by those who are affiliated with the film-makers past cinematic endeavours and film-making style, that Darren Aronofsky revels in constructing luminous pieces of art-form that invites our own gaze into his own imagination. In being inspired by the contextual and editing trickery of the deceased Satoshi Kon, as seen in not only the bathtub sequence in Requiem of a Dream which resembles scene in Kon’s very own Perfect Blue but also in Black Swan which has a similar contextual backdrop to Kon’s already-mentioned animated feature, it’s no surprise to see within Aronofsky’s filmography that he savours in projecting surrealistic and ideological notions that simply challenge the way in which we interpret a particular theme; as shown in the said directors first feature of Pi which intricately delves into notions of obsession and other motifs of mathematical ideology. As much as each film he’s directed has always had something to offer which challenges our way of thinking, non of Aronofksy’s preceding filmic undertakings don’t compare what his latest film of Mother! has to offer; a phantasmagorical-artistic nightmare that not only escalates our own anxiety, but displays many metaphorical story-telling motifs that induces us to challenge and deliberate…

In displaying an array of conceptions that deal with vague biblical connotations, ideas of nature and environmentalism and notions that thoroughly delve into fame and how it could easily sway the ill-minded, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! centralises its story around a married couple, never named, who live together in an estranged house in the middle of nowhere. While ‘mother’, portrayed by Jennifer Lawrence, evidently takes-on the task of designing and decorating the house-hold, her famous older-husband, enacted by Javier Bardem, gets on with his agonised vocation; trying and failing to write a single word of poetry to publish. In seemingly living harmoniously with another in a state of stagnancy, their lives are swayed by the appearance of a strange visitor who claims to be a new orthopaedic surgeon at the local hospital. Enthused by the presence of this man, Bardem’s character instantaneously connects with him; much to the dismay of Lawrence’s persona silent astonishment and curiosity. However, ‘mothers’ troubles are just beginning as not only another visitor appears in the form of the surgeons wife, but more guests start to appear that horrifically unravel hidden truths…

Imbued with noticeable contextual and surrealist influences from the likes of Roman Polanksi and Luis Buñuel, more specifically Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel, there’s no hiding from the fact that Darren Aronofsky’s latest filmic venture of Mother! displays imagery, symbolism and story-telling ideas that not only challenges our mind-set in what we’re actually seeing, but presents these aspects of film-making in a way that invites us to gaze at the said directors feelings towards the themes and motifs that are presented. Indeed, In having delved into doctrinal narratives before in his preceding film of Noah which also prompted illuminating story-telling, it’s clear from the way in which his latest allegorical film of Mother! dabbles with meaningful religious metaphors that Aronofsky himself has a rather personal inclination with religion. Although the film introduces itself to be this home invasion family drama which commentates on the perception of fame and how having a recognisable status can corrupt those who feel self-entitled, it’s obvious as Mother! trundles along that there’s a lot more to be bestowed by and how much this, arguably, relates to the film-makers feelings towards different beliefs of theology. As much as it likes to, primarily, commentate on the tangible nature of religion and belief, as shown through the roles and actions that both Bardem and Lawrence enact, it’s feasible to notice how the film, in its longevity, deals with an assortment of ideologies, such as environmentalism and life, that more or less steals your gaze and, again, invites you into this emblematic piece of film-making. Though you can criticise the fact that it upholds a vast array of illustrative meanings that, in turn, has left audience members and critics alike to be polarised by what is shown within this film, the fact that Aronofsky implemented all these different challenging themes into a singular space by using the illusive yet wandering camera movements and the deceptive performances of both Lawrence and Bardem is bold and unprecedented to say the least. Whether you come out of this film either loving or hating it, Aronofsky has comprised a parable feature that has people talking and will keep those same people analysing this film and its intricacies for years to come. In being marketed as a psychological horror film, of which cinephiles have been angered by since the trailers of film don’t correlate to what is evidently revealed in the later portions of the narrative, what’s intersting to consider of Aronofksy’s Mother!, aside the main allegories of the religious connotations and Lawrence’s character resembling mother nature and Bardem’s role determined to be ‘god’, is the space that these characters inhabit since it enriches the symbolic yet personal notions that Aronofsky wants to get across. While a films setting at its most basic is purposefully constructed to set the tone of the story presented, the mise en scène of any given genre is always inherently loaded with meaning and whether it’s the shapes of the building, or the way in which characters interact with their given environment, all of these minute aspects contribute to how we perceive a space. From the lauded and arguably unforgettable locations of past horror flicks in Psycho, the Bates Motel, and in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining with the Overlook Hotel, horror films in particular have featured settings that help bring out the terror that is waiting to be unearthed; and with Aronofsky’s latest cinematic-pic, that’s exactly the case. In embodying similar story tropes seen in the deranged Japanese feature Hausu, in which a rural house becomes energised by the angry spirit of its deceased owner, the decor house that Lawrence’s character is obliged in decorating in Mother! is the perfect setting as it accommodates not only what Aronofsky wants to metaphorically display, but it’s an environment that has a life on its own. As much as it can be perceived that the house-hold in this film represents the ‘world’ and how the people that invite themselves into this space in the closing third of the narrative come to occupy this location as their own, by mistreating it accordingly just as how we come to mistreat our own environment, it’s also a space that is prone to metamorphosis and agitation as shown in the final stages of the feature; subtly inter-linking to this idea of the house being ‘earth’ for the guests to occupy. In being a location that is as welcoming as it is alien, it’s a space in which audience members will feel both at home and lost within which further shows Aronofksy’s evolving craft in being a contemporary surrealist auteur.

In utilising a tracking camera that purposefully fixates on the characters perspective, whether it’s through extreme close-ups or medium tracking shots, Lawrence’s portrayal as ‘mother’ is the standout performer/character in Aronofsky’s latest feature which is obliged to bowl you over in the moment. By contrasting Bardem’s rather creepily opaque exuberance, of which he’s accustomed to in precedence roles that is typically topped with a gravestone grin, Lawrence’s youthfulness and softness, which is exuded in the pure clothing she tends to wear, is all too apparent as the extreme close-ups lean in to scrutinise her face; watching her unease bloom into dread, then dread into outright panic. Unlike past performances in films that tend to put her on the cinematic pedestal for everyone to see, Lawrence provides an exceptional performance that is not only different from her past acting endeavours, but is one of her best enactments to date. It’s just a shame that, at arguably the height of her acting prowess, she’s taking a break from acting; which is also understandable as well considering the amount of films that she’s been apart of in the last recent years. The additions of Michelle Pfeiffer and Ed Harris as ‘man’ and ‘woman’ further exemplifies the films need in supplying the audience with a series of stomach-turning quantum leaps into madness.

By providing formal techniques that always seem to make the film explode in any given moment with melancholia and psychosis, Aronofsky doesn’t hold back in using the cinematography in ways that connects to your psyche that you didn’t know existed, and perhaps wish didn’t. In implementing a consistent variation of camera shots from extreme close-ups of certain characters, particularly that of Jennifer Lawrence, and extreme wide-shots that permit your gaze to scan for any symbolism whatsoever, Aronofsky indeed upholds his trademark film style by using a variation of techniques to create this sense of isolation. While there are some undeniably lustrous camera shots that interlinks well with the way in which time meanders wilfully in the last portions of the narrative, it is somewhat nagging to comprehend the extreme close-ups since it’s used, at sporadic moments, unnecessarily. As much as this formatic choice is utilised on-purpose to give you the full perspective of Lawrence’s character, the specific moments in which the close-ups were used didn’t feel appropriate.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with what he has to say on the far-from-subtle motifs on religion, human nature and the environment, Darren Aronofsky within his latest transfixing feature of Mother! succeeds in sharing his vision and ideology even despite if audiences and critics are polarised by what they inevitably see. While it will go down as a film that people will either love or hate, the fact that it’s been receiving a strong reaction from cinema-goers is a good thing to see. Whether it’s a painting or a television show, art is a platform of creative means that should have an effect on you and should make you think on ideas that have never occurred before. Mother! does this intentionally; bewitching its viewing subjects by providing a multitude of allegorical motifs that ensnare your very thinking. As much as you might think that Mother! instinctively wants to comment on religion and the environment, through the ways in which the characters are depicted and how guests, one-by-one, impulsively show-up, there are others themes, such as fame and gender, that can also get you wrapped in a thinking muddle. As horror as it is ridiculous, Mother! is an art-house cinematic product that will make people wonder and ponder…

On that note, it’s time for me to end this week’s film review. As always everyone, thank you for reading my latest film review of Aronofsky’s Mother! and I hope you’ve all enjoyed the read! 😉 If anyone has an opinion on either my review or on the film itself, feel free to drop a comment down below. For next week, since it’s the 25th anniversary of the Batman: Animated Series this year, and being that I haven’t done a retro film review in a while, I thought it would be the perfect time to review a childhood classic of mine, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm. I’ll be reviewing Kingsman: The Golden Circle the week after next. As always, thank you once again for reading this week’s film review and I’ll be back next week! Have a nice day! Adieu! 😁✌👥😰

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆ – Alex Rabbitte