Movie Review: I Am Mother; A little case of whiplash
From mixed feelings to a case of whiplash and ultimate relief.
Image credit: IMDb
MY RATING: 4 out of 5 stars I Am Mother (2019) - A teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate Earth. Their bond is tested when a stranger arrives with alarming news. Mother: Rose Byrne Daughter: Clara Rugaard Woman: Hilary Swank Director: Grant Sputore Production companies: Penguin Empire; Southern Light Films; Mister Smith Entertainment; Endeavor Content Screenplay: Michael Lloyd Green Distributed by: StudioCanal, Netflix
The movie started slow for my taste but did gain traction about a third of the way in. It was then that I found myself anxious to see what happened next.
I went from being positive I knew who was good and who was bad only to change my mind a few minutes later. Mother’s bad. Mother’s good. No, wait, Mother is really baaad. No, Mother’s… I got a little case of whiplash, but that’s a good thing. Kudos to the creators for keeping us guessing. In the end, I’m not still not sure who really was good or bad. I’m thinking a little of both all the way around.
The acting was good. The aesthetics were amazing. The droids–especially Mother–were excellent.
I will say that I was so disappointed with the ending, but…
I did a little reading online before writing my review. Apparently, I am only one of a vast number of viewers who were not impressed with the way the film ended. Still, seeing some explanations, specifically one from Editor Sean Lahiff (link contains spoilers), I see how the ending does fit. It speaks toward hope and a future. When thinking about it that way, I get it.
This movie is one that commands us to think. To really think. In the end, when a film has entertained us AND made us think, that’s an overall success. Would I watch again? I think I will. Typically, I won’t rewatch a film when I wasn’t impressed with the ending, but I think this one demands a rewatch. I believe another viewing or two would open my eyes to elements of the film that would better explain the reason it had to end the way it did.
Take away from the film? Mothers, teach your children well before something else does…