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?

---

Plot Keywords:

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

---

Taglines:

seeing is believing

---

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery

---

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

The movie's marketing team came under a good amount of fire after they hired an artist to paint a mural of the film in Sydney, Australia. Apparently, the mural covered up a 20-year-old painting by a local artist depicting animals in a cityscape below the words "it's like a jungle sometimes." This line refers to a song by Grandmaster Flash and The Furious Five.

Darren Aronofsky was embarrassed about the mural being painted over the historic piece of art and apologized on behalf of the ad agency, Apparition Media. A spokesperson for the agency said they were unaware of the iconic nature of the mural and regretted their "terrible mistake."

The agency has since contacted the mural's original artist and offered their help in restoring the artwork to its original form.

---

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.

---

Quotes

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

---

Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, a steady heartbeat is heard.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Andrew Klavan Show: Freedom's Greatest Enemy (2017)

---

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

Jennifer Lawrence Hubris

I thought this was worth its salt even though it did tend towards cliché as it wore on. The disappointing aspect of this film is that Jennifer Lawrence somehow portrays an ego that is beyond the character. It's a kind of "you know that I know I'm only acting this and the real movie is me" that seems to have perpetuated in every film she had made since Silver linings Playbook, bar X-Men (when she was covered in paint and having to "live in" the previous "humble" shoes of Rebecca Romijn) and American Hustle (where she was greedy White Trash). She needs a director who can "humble her down", in the same way Eastwood did for Jolie in Changeling, so that her ego is less of a distraction for her acting.