Mother! (2017)

A couple's relationship is tested when uninvited guests arrive at their home, disrupting their tranquil existence.

Director:

Darren Aronofsky

Writer:

Darren Aronofsky

Stars:

Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris

8 wins & 34 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer Lawrence	...	Mother
Javier Bardem	...	Him
Ed Harris	...	Man
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Woman
Brian Gleeson	...	Younger Brother
Domhnall Gleeson	...	Oldest Son
Jovan Adepo	...	Cupbearer
Amanda Chiu	...	Damsel
Patricia Summersett	...	Consoler
Eric Davis	...	Bumbler
Raphael Grosz-Harvey	...	Philanderer
Emily Hampshire	...	Fool
Abraham Aronofsky	...	Wanderer
Luis Oliva	...	Idler
Stephanie Ng Wan	...	Whisperer

Storyline

Amidst a wild flat meadow encircled by an Edenic lush forest, a couple have cocooned themselves in a secluded mansion that was not so long ago burned to the ground, devotedly restored by the supportive wife. Within this safe environment, the once famous middle-aged poet husband is desirous of creating his magnum opus; however, he seems unable to break out of the persistent creative rut that haunts him. Then, unexpectedly, a knock at the door, the sudden arrival of a cryptic late-night visitor and his intrusive wife will stimulate the writer's stagnant imagination. Little by little, much to the perplexed wife's surprise, the more chaos he lets in their haven, the better for his punctured male ego. In the end, will this incremental mess blemish, irreparably, the couple's inviolable sanctuary?

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Plot Keywords:

cannibalism | surrealism | pregnancy | riot | death of baby | 

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Taglines:

seeing is believing

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong disturbing violent content, some sexuality, nudity and language

Details

Official Sites:

Marked Movies Official Facebook

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

15 September 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mother!

Filming Locations:

Montréal, Québec, Canada

Box Office

Budget:

$33,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$7,534,673, 17 September 2017, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$17,800,004, 26 October 2017

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Protozoa Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Darren Aronofsky submitted a written statement about the film when it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, in which he revealed that he wrote the first draft of the script in 5 days ("a fever dream," he called it) and that the idea was inspired by current events, "the endless buzzing of notifications on our smartphones," and his experiences going through Hurricane Sandy in downtown Manhattan. "It is a mad time to be alive," he wrote. He also wrote that the film should be "drunk as a single dose in a shot glass. Knock it back."

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Goofs

The first time Mother calls 911 and hangs up after it was answered, the 911 dispatcher doesn't attempt to call back. In reality, 911 would immediately call back on a hang up call.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Mother: [after waking up] Baby?

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Crazy Credits

SPOILER: The H in Him (Javier Bardem) is the sole capital letter in any of the film's credits.

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Connections

Referenced in ScreenPrism: You Know It's a Darren Aronofsky Movie IF... (2017)

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Soundtracks

The End of the World
Written by Sylvia Dee and Arthur Kent
Vocals by Patti Smith
Produced by Tony Shanahan
Patti Smith appears courtesy of Columbia Records

User Reviews

Beyond Brilliant

This movie took my breath away. When the end credits began to roll, all I could think of was just how brilliant this film is! I was absolutely astonished by the level of craftsmanship on Darren Aronofsky's part, and just the sheer complexity of the writing. Aronofsky says he wrote the screenplay in six days, which just blows my mind. It is so intricate and delicately designed, that I don't know how he was able to write it in less than a week. I think it just goes to show how much of a pure genius Aronofsky is. This is a movie that is driven 100% by its story and its screenplay. Everything else, from the camera angles, to the score, to the performances, are in service to that script. So it's hard to sit here and say "Oh, well the cinematography is gorgeous" or "Jennifer Lawrence is fantastic in the film", because their purpose was not to stand out on their own. Everything they did was to enrich and drive forward this story, and that doesn't necessarily work for every film, but it absolutely works here. This film is made by the deep complexity of its metaphors and allegories, and by its social and theological analysis of our past, present, and future. Without the strength of its script, mother! would fall apart. Luckily, Aronofsky has crafted a masterful screenplay that works and plays on so many different levels...