Tully

Tully is the latest creation of director Jason Reitman, with writer Diablo Cody behind the script. After masterpieces like Juno and the heavily underrated Young Adult, it might seem difficult to raise the standards any higher, but the Canadian-American auteur has done it again with a film that – although marketed as a story about motherhood in 2018 – covers many more relatable topics, including the persistent message of growing up – or growing along with life’s changes.

As good of an impression as this movie left on most members of the audience yesterday evening, it would be naïve to say this is a feature for everyone. One shouldn’t pay for their ticket expecting a straight comedy nor a heavy drama; the tone moves more around the standard indie genre, with a simple yet profound message and a plot that avoids over-complication – which is refreshing as a cinema-goer, especially since the superhero scene has been dominating screens for many years now.

Charlize Theron got involved in the project as an actress and a producer, and again she manages to give a truthful and incredible performance as a mother of three struggling to survive the experience. Beside her, Mackenzie Davis steps into the story abruptly, but little by little we get used to her presence as a young (and very lovely) 20-something, dedicated to making mums’ lives easier by taking care of their babies at night.

We can’t ignore the appearance of the king of the indie genre himself, Mark Duplass – playing Theron’s brother – or Ron Livingston in the role of the husband who’s unsure of what his wife is really going through in this period of her life.

Even those who are not a fan of massive twists in any form of literature would have to admit that this one was necessary in order for the film to bring up the topics it did. However, the abrupt narrative turn wasn’t necessarily handled in the best way, since for some of us it was pretty clear from the very start of the movie where the plot was heading – and this time around it wasn’t the fault of the 2-minute trailer, but maybe a combination of the screenplay and watching too many films.

Reitman’s new feature is a dream for American indie fans, and for anyone who appreciates a good story about real-life experiences – the kind that are not often created for big screen audiences. Enjoyable, bittersweet and heart-warming, Tully is one of the best films of the year.

Maria Barrios

Tully is released nationwide on 4^th April 2018.

Watch the trailer for Tully here: