Darren Aronofsky's Mother! - 10.13.17 (1 Viewer)

[Tino]

I would say it's definitely a psychological thriller. I didn't think It was a horror film at all.

 

[TravisR]

So, without spoiling anything, is it horror or psychological thriller.

It's closer to a psychological thriller but the movie takes a turn that's hard to classify towards the end.

I would say it's definitely a psychological thriller. I didn't think It was a horror film at all.

As a horror fan, I'm sick of seeing people saying that a movie is a 'psychological thriller' because it sounds classier than 'horror movie' BUT I would agree that this is a psychological thriller. Since it was marketed as a horror movie, I think that's part of the reason why my audience was very unhappy.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Saw it tonight and thought it was interesting for its first 2 acts. Act 3 goes deep into Metaphor City and flies off the rails.

Spoiler

So you like the Old Testament stuff, but weren't as sold on the New Testament stuff? At some point, Lawrence's character is transfigured from Mother Earth to Mother Mary.

Agreed. He and David Lynch should collaborate.

I was thinking a lot about the "Twin Peaks" revival -- especially the ending -- as I walked out of the theater from this. Both this and that were heavy on dream logic. But this was much heavier on allegory.

The difference is that "Twin Peaks" felt like it had answers, even if they weren't provided to the audience. This falls apart a bit under closer scrutiny.

Javier Bardem was perfectly cast in his role.

So, without spoiling anything, is it horror or psychological thriller. I'm not a horror fan, just don't like movies full of jump out and scare you stuff. I do like some stuff like "The Others", "Cabin in the Woods" (that's probably more comedy) and the Alien movies. Sorry can't think of other examples. I'm hit and miss on Aronofsky films, I appreciate his style and direction though.

It's not a slasher film, by any means. There's some startling moments, but it's not a movie that relies on cheap scares. It's more interested in unsettling you than making you jump out of your seat.

 

[benbess]

My ratings for the Aronofsky films I've seen...

The Fountain: A-
Black Swan: A-
Noah: B-
Mother!: C

My take on Mother! is that Rod Serling did this kind of thing better, with 99% less money, and in only 25 minutes.

Spoiler: My spoiler impressions....

It seemed to me like this was maybe Aronofsky's self-absorbed and self-pitying musings as a creative person who is rich and famous, but feels mixed about the fame part. I had the feeling at times that it was almost a "poor me, how horrible the creative process is, and how mixed fame is, and how those fans and parties ruin your nice rich mansion with its beautiful fixtures. Plus, my marriage is a mess because of all this! My baby is maybe a real baby, but is more likely my work of art, which is the movie you are right now watching—wink-wink!" I think Lynch did this much better in Eraserhead imho.

 

[Wayne_j]

Mother earned a rare 'F' Cinemascore.
http://deadline.com/2017/09/it-step...rican-assassin-weekend-box-office-1202170367/

"Well, it’s clear: Moviegoers officially hate Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! The film scored a rare F grade from CinemaScore audiences last night, and there were many rivals heading into the weekend who were expecting that type of reaction. As we heard at noon, the bold Jennifer Lawrence pic is crashing well below its projections with an estimated $7.8M in third."

 

[benbess]

Mother earned a rare 'F' Cinemascore.
http://deadline.com/2017/09/it-step...rican-assassin-weekend-box-office-1202170367/

"Well, it’s clear: Moviegoers officially hate Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! The film scored a rare F grade from CinemaScore audiences last night, and there were many rivals heading into the weekend who were expecting that type of reaction. As we heard at noon, the bold Jennifer Lawrence pic is crashing well below its projections with an estimated $7.8M in third."

Wow. Yeah, maybe my "C" grade was generous. But there were things I liked about the movie, including the performances from the actors, who really made this mediocre and all-over-the-map screenplay come to life at least somewhat. It has some good surreal imagery that was often not connected to an equally good story.

Strange grain with the film in sections, and lack of resolution, as if it was filmed in 16mm. Was it?

 

[TravisR]

Mother earned a rare 'F' Cinemascore.
http://deadline.com/2017/09/it-step...rican-assassin-weekend-box-office-1202170367/

"Well, it’s clear: Moviegoers officially hate Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! The film scored a rare F grade from CinemaScore audiences last night, and there were many rivals heading into the weekend who were expecting that type of reaction. As we heard at noon, the bold Jennifer Lawrence pic is crashing well below its projections with an estimated $7.8M in third."

I sorta said it before but if the movie had been marketed honestly (instead of as a standard horror movie starring America's sweetheart) then most people looking for that wouldn't have seen it. It's basically an art house movie and trying to trick a mainstream audience into seeing that kind of movie is always going to result in horrible word of mouth.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

I'd loosely agree with that. The first two acts are pretty good and build nicely but the last act is the weakest. I do think there is a sense of humor at play during the chunk of the movie that becomes a fever dream and that's fun but it's not entirely successful.

Unsurprisingly, the cast was very good but I have to say that Michelle Pfeiffer was something of a standout. She managed to pivot between being creepy and being oblivious to her own rudeness in the same scene and even from line to line in the same scene.

I'm curious as to what the word of mouth or Cinemascore will be because the crowd that I saw this with HATED it. As the credits started, a guy behind me said "What?!", people rushed for the exit and as a group of 20-something aged women left the theater and I heard one say "I'll never get that two hours back!" I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that those ladies were more Lawrence fans than Aronofsky fans.

Agree that Pfeiffer was great! Actually, all the actors were very good, so whatever problems come from the film, it's not their fault.

I just think the film beats us too over the head with its metaphors for fame and the creative process - especially in that third act. The 1st two acts keep us off-guard and guessing - they bear some resemblance to reality, so they connect.

Even though one should always suspect the movie's not literal from the start, it works better when it leaves a question. The insanity of the third act goes on way too long and lacks the nuance it needs, IMO...

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Mother earned a rare 'F' Cinemascore.
http://deadline.com/2017/09/it-step...rican-assassin-weekend-box-office-1202170367/

"Well, it’s clear: Moviegoers officially hate Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! The film scored a rare F grade from CinemaScore audiences last night, and there were many rivals heading into the weekend who were expecting that type of reaction. As we heard at noon, the bold Jennifer Lawrence pic is crashing well below its projections with an estimated $7.8M in third."

Wow - that's pretty bad!

While that third act left me disenchanted, there's no way the movie deserves an "F". Even with my complaints, it kept my attention - I'd give it a "B-" or "C+".

"Black Swan" - THAT'S the one that deserves the "F"!

 

[Tino]

Wow - that's pretty bad!

While that third act left me disenchanted, there's no way the movie deserves an "F". Even with my complaints, it kept my attention - I'd give it a "B-" or "C+".

"Black Swan" - THAT'S the one that deserves the "F"!

You had me till that last sentence.

Black Swan is awesome..............imo.

 

[Wayne_j]

The 'F' score probably happened because the trailers and tv spots were promising a horror movie while from all I hear this movie is not. The night of the IT Thursday night previews they ran a special trailer telling everyone to run to the box office after seeing IT to buy tickets for Mother. If people came to Mother expecting a standard horror movie they would likely be very upset and give dismal scores.

This is probably a movie that should have opened at least initially in less than 200 theaters which would probably be art house theaters with patrons who are more used to this kind of movie. Unfortunately the movie's budget was too large so they had to open wide.

 

[MielR]

My sister and her husband went to see it the other night and said that a bunch of people got up and left before it was over.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

You had me till that last sentence.

Black Swan is awesome..............imo.

I agree that it's awesomely awful! That's what the "........." omitted, right?

 

[Colin Jacobson]

The 'F' score probably happened because the trailers and tv spots were promising a horror movie while from all I hear this movie is not. The night of the IT Thursday night previews they ran a special trailer telling everyone to run to the box office after seeing IT to buy tickets for Mother. If people came to Mother expecting a standard horror movie they would likely be very upset and give dismal scores.

This is probably a movie that should have opened at least initially in less than 200 theaters which would probably be art house theaters with patrons who are more used to this kind of movie. Unfortunately the movie's budget was too large so they had to open wide.

Paramount used trailers that really sold "Mother!" as an event. I saw one that said something like "you'll never forget where you were when you saw 'Mother!'"

These ads set up really high expectations, IMO.

Though I wonder how much some patrons knew about it. When I settled into my seat Thursday night, a guy came in, sat 2 seats over and asked what the movie was about. Did he buy a ticket to a movie he didn't know anything about? Was he theater hopping? Weird either way!

 

[bujaki]

The cast credits at the end of the film explains most of it. It's the Old and New Testaments somewhat re-imagined.

 

[Tino]

So were Ed Harris and Michele Pfeifer Adam and Eve?And their sons obviously Cain and Able.

 

[TravisR]

My sister and her husband went to see it the other night and said that a bunch of people got up and left before it was over.

Despite the vocal anger I heard after the movie was over, there weren't any walkouts. Maybe it's the price of a movie ticket but I rarely see people leave.

The night of the IT Thursday night previews they ran a special trailer telling everyone to run to the box office after seeing IT to buy tickets for Mother.

I don't know how long that trailer played but I saw it on It last Friday too. As an aside, that thing was ridiculous because it was the standard trailer for Mother! but it had a narrator giving some tacky sales pitch to buy a ticket.

So were Ed Harris and Michele Pfeifer Adam and Eve?

That's how I'd read it.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

So were Ed Harris and Michele Pfeifer Adam and Eve?And their sons obviously Cain and Able.

Yes. The first hint is when Jennifer Lawrence walks in on Javier Bardem yanking a rib out of Ed Harris's side. Michelle Pfeiffer shows up the next morning. What follows is a condensed literal retelling of the Bible in micro. Cain and Abel, next. Then, when the funeral mourners break the pipes rocking on the sink, the Great Flood washes away the interlopers.

The negligent murder of Mother's baby is the crucifixion of Christ. The masses consuming his flesh and drinking his blood is the Communion ritual, made literal. And Mother's reaction is fire and brimstone, the book of Revelations.

 

[bujaki]

Lawrence even says something like: And now for the Apocalypse.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

Paramount used trailers that really sold "Mother!" as an event. I saw one that said something like "you'll never forget where you were when you saw 'Mother!'"

Well, that could go either way actually. Good or Bad...