• Release year: 2024
• Director: Victoria Mapplebeck.
• Producer: Debbie Manners.
• Screenplay by: Victoria Mapplebeck.
• Cinematography by: Victoria Mapplebeck.

Shotgun Commentary: along with Fitted (2024), the best exploration of womanhood that has been released in 2024.

Review

Motherboard is an honest exploration of motherhood, without embellishments or rhetoric. In a media sphere that seems to prioritise idealised content about the idea of having kids. Until they are teens, that is. It’s always refreshing to see a real example of what being a mother might entail. The good and the bad, without dramatic exaggerations on either side of the spectrum.

Fragments of a lifetime

The feature is a documentary formed by a collage of moments, conversations and social media posts. This composition of diverse elements keeps the action dynamic and engaging despite the mostly quotidian nature of the actions shown. Additionally, the combination of different mediums and moments, sometimes overlapped, serves to immerse the audience in the experience. You feel the humour, strain, and desperation that the protagonist is feeling.

As it happens with most documentaries, it shows the best and the worst in people. One of the main themes that is explored alongside motherhood is generational abandonment. The woman whose story we follow, Victoria Mapplebeck, has a child with a man who all but smoke bombs his way out of the situation. However, more into the documentary, we discover that her father also abandoned his family when he met another woman. This is one of those cases when the trauma is perpetuated through generations. A fascinating example from which anyone more versed in psychology could make a thesis.

Bias, bias, bias

It is interesting to see how some men are completely incapable of owning up to their mistakes, but they will still do the bare minimum to keep their conscience clean. A message here, a call there, a 10-minute meeting maybe… All these actions barely count as anecdotal, and still it is socially acceptable for men to behave that way. When those are the actions of the mother instead of the father…well, surely you see how that changes real fast.

One of the most fascinating moments on this matter comes from Jim Mapplebeck who, in one of his numerous appearances, defends that men usually make the same efforts as women when it comes to raising children. This opinion is quite shocking coming from a kid whose father is barely in the picture. However, it could also be seen as wishful thinking, or low self-esteem, to think that one is the exception to a more egalitarian norm.

As previously mentioned, a psychologist will have a field day with this film. Sadly, his statement is anything but a reality, as it is quickly proved by Victoria just by looking out the window and seeing how many women had baby trolleys versus how any men.

In addition to men not being traditionally as involved as women, you also see the mental stress that a situation of abandonment cause a child, especially during moments of hardship. It is a traumatic event that can be dealt with in infinite different ways, but that is always there, waiting to haunt you when you least expect it. You will observe Jim’s growth and how different tragedies and wins shape him into who he is today.

A laudable feat

The perseverance, determination and endurance to document your life for better or worse in order to share the most realistic depiction of motherhood possible is incredibly admirable. While some other documentaries such as Fragments of a Life Loved (2023) also follow this structure, they also rely on interviews and verbal accounts of past occurrences. This feature is completely different in that sense, since it covers absolutely everything without relying on subjective memories that can’t be taken as the absolute truth to share its story.

Motherboard explores motherhood and womanhood through one of the most daring and terrifying adventures a woman can face: raising a child on their own. It manages to share how this type of situation can look like while also respecting both Victoria and Jim’s individuality. If you like honest documentaries with dynamic storytelling, this is definitely a must-watch.

You can watch the UK premiere of this documentary in London thanks to the BFI London Film Festival. It will be screened on the 13th October at 18:15, and the 19th October at 14:45. Book tickets here!

Advice to take from this movie:

• Being a mother is not constantly as rewarding and perfect as the media makes it look.
• There are HUGE gaps between fatherhood and motherhood that need to be addressed.
• Telling your life story can be daunting, but it’s totally worth it when you have something to share.

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