• Release year: 2026
• Director: David Lowery.
• Producers: Toby Halbrooks, Jeanie Igoe, James M. Johnston, Jonas Katzenstein, Maximilian Leo, David Lowery, and Jonathan Saubach.
• Screenplay by: David Lowery.
• Cinematography by: Andrew Droz Palermo and Rina Yang.
• Music by: Daniel Hart.

Shotgun Commentary: strange, but in a legible, aesthetic way.

Review

Mother Mary is quite a pleasant surprise. A film that can be enjoyed by both hipsters and actual human beings fairly equally, which does not happen often in the realm of the experimental film.

Full disclosure, I saw Anne Hathaway in one of the film’s costumes and I was immediately sold on this film. Then I clicked on the trailer and my feelings changed… quite noticeably. As a passionate hater of The Green Knight (2021)—so much so that I actively refused to review it after watching it exclusively to do so—I was a little more than nervous to go see Mother Mary. Still, I am a sucker for beautiful films and bold fashion (and Anne Hathaway), so I figured, what the hell. Might as well go see what the fuss is all about.

When needs must

The story follows Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway), a Gaga-like singer with a huge cult following and a penchant for making religious topics look too hip again. She has a massive breakdown over a dress—as one does—and runs away to her ex-lover’s… hut? Farm-looking place that looks insanely expensive and also about to collapse at any given moment?

Now, before moving forward with this review, let’s go back to the “ex-lover” statement. If you look around, there is a significant amount of content about this film that describes Mother and her designer BFF/lover Sam (Michaela Coel) as “friends” or “best friends”. That’s all well and good, but note that Mother and Sam are about as “just friends” as Bert and Ernie. Do with that what you will.

Visualising the intangible

Regardless, their relationship transcends all that. It is a years-long relationship that goes beyond any tag. One that allows them to know what the other is thinking and even hallucinate (or not) with the same spiritual entity despite being miles apart for years. This untouchable feeling you have with someone for the span of years or maybe just minutes is elusive but quite common. You probably have experienced it at one point in your life. It is not simply about friendship or love or connection, and yet it encompasses all those and more.

Such an ineffable sensation could only be communicated in the limitless realm of the experimental, and Lowery makes the most of the genre to bring to life an indescribable yet clear portrayal of it. One that, of course, relies heavily on drop-dead gorgeous visuals and the flawless performances of its protagonists.

One final surprise

Having taken notes from the feature, this review will also move just a tad away from the usual commentary. Sure, there could be paragraphs and paragraphs about how amazing soul-stirring Hathaway is as Mother or how raw and poignant Coel’s performance is. But let’s turn instead to FKA twigs, a woman who has truly delivered the big surprise for yours truly. After the visual disgraces that were both The Crow (2024) and her performance in it, twigs delivers a shockingly great performance this time around. Whether that comes as a result of having more experience or better professionals around is unclear; all you need to know is that this time, you will not be put off by any cardboard faces.

All in all, Mother Mary is a truly fantastic A24 film. One that is not just made for film experts or enthusiasts but for everyone and anyone. If you have never watched a weird film before, this is definitely the best introduction you can get to the genre.

Advice to take from this movie:

• If you are bored, take up pottery or something. Don’t just go around communing with the Devil.
• Burnout is real. You don’t need to be a superstar to feel it. Rest.
• Sometimes you just need a pretty dress in your life… and sometimes you need to slice your own body open. Either way, really.

What’s your take? Have you watched Mother Mary? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message on my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀