'Mother Mary' Review
- Trevor Leavell
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
Release Date: 05/21/26 [Cinemas]
Genre: Drama. Music. Thriller.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: A24.
The Verdict: A Must-See
There's a lot that goes into being a pop star. All eyes are on you, and not only is the image of yourself taken from you, but the public molds your own image, and in turn, your own ego. This is the main thesis of David Lowery's Mother Mary. A psychological drama slow burn starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel; Hathaway as Mother Mary, and Coel as her estranged costume designer Sam, who is reeling from years of resentment after Mary had cut her off from her creative team. However, Mary has come back to Sam in an act of desperation, looking for a dress for a performance of a song she says will be the best of her career.
What surprised me most about Mother Mary was its scale. For a director of movies with such vast and epic scales, Lowery puts us in a scenery that's very quiet and intimate. Most of this film takes place in Sam's fashion studio as these estranged friends engage in psychological warfare with each other. For the first half, Mother Mary feels straightforward, but as Sam puts Mary's sorrow and pity through dire emotional trials, the second half of this feature turns into something more visceral and spooky.
Between these conversations about artistry and ego are original songs produced by Charlie XCX and Jack Antonoff, and sung by Hathaway herself. They keep a burning energy through the film that grows hotter and hotter, and these conversations become even more intense for both characters until the climax of the film. Its structure is maybe a bit difficult to click with, as this is more talky than expected. Lowery's script is brought out and elevated wonderfully between Hathaway and Coel, who bring out physically and emotionally exhausting roles that each deserve their flowers. Even when it's just them talking, there's something so musical about the way they speak; it all becomes infectious.
Mother Mary is a hard film to talk about. It starts pretty simple and straightforward and then pulls the rug from under you with a story that goes deeper and deeper into the darkest feelings of the human heart and mind, but also ends as a beautiful story about rebirth and forgiveness. Its second half may feel a little impenetrable, but it leaves a lot to chew on, and many threads lead to really fun and satisfying things worth discussing well after it's over.
