I feel like I need to preface this non-spoilers review with the reminder that I am not female, nor do I have a child of my own. I say that because this movie seems like it can only be truly appreciated by them, so I apologize if there are aspects of this story that I simply can't relate with.
If I was to just guess, the movie's intentions are to make you want to really appreciate everything your Mother had to go through to take care of you when you were a child. There are even whole montage sequences during the first parts of the movie, showing the daily grind of what a Mother has to endure in having to take care of a newborn. All that comes off to me as an almost cautionary warning for someone like me about parenthood. It's hard not to feel sympathy for what a Parent has to go through in raising children, but I also get that the movie is focusing on the more challenging aspects, and that it isn't always like that.
From scenes that show the work that has to be done when being a parent, it also seems that the movie's intentions is to also appreciate the fact that Parents are still humans, with their own wants and desires. That's where the actual premise of the story seems to really be about, and is told through the two main characters played by Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis, Marlo and Tully respectively.
As expected, Charlize Theron is amazing in this movie as a 40 year old Mom who seems like she's drowning in life as an exhausted Parent looking for some reprieve. Then contrast that with the 26 year old "Night Nurse," played wonderfully by Mackenzie Davis, full of hope, wisdom, wonder, and energy. While there's an obvious difference between the two due to their ages and experiences, there are also many similarities that connects them together.
The friendship that is sparked between Marlo and Tully is the main crux of this story, which leads to the main themes of the movie that people will probably want to talk about. There will also be those that will probably take issues with some of those themes. Saying what some of those themes are is essentially entering spoilers territory, but I will say that despite my preface at the beginning of this review; some of those themes can be relatable by Men and those who aren't Parents as well. Of course, your own perspective of the movie might not agree with that assessment.
Directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, "Tully" is definitely far more than just a realistic portrayal of what Motherhood looks like, and becomes a film that will challenge you with some uncomfortable truths. From the very first scene, until the very last frame, this movie absolutely took hold of my attention, and has subject matters that are bound to resonate in my head for years to come.
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