Tully

Tully is a motherhood dramedy directed by Jason Reitman and written by Diablo Cody, telling the story of an overworked mother of three, Marlo (Charlize Theron). When she reaches a point where she desperately needs help, her brother (Mark Duplass) calls a night nanny, named Tully (Mackenzie Davis), to give Marlo a hand so she can get better rest.

Jason Reitman has truly put himself at a point, where he’s a director I will be interested and somewhat excited to see, especially when he’s directing a Diablo Cody script. When I heard their latest Sundance movie, Tully, was a new collaboration between the two and Charlize Theron from Young Adult, it felt like we were getting a conclusion to this 21st Century Motherhood trilogy that Reitman and Cody started ten years ago with Juno.

Tully has a similar theme, mainly in how it shows how stressful and taxing becoming a mother can get, and how it drives one to depression and exhaustion. It's an emotional rollercoaster that barely let's up, but it's the realism of the matter that makes it enduring to begin with. Diablo Cody is a very down to earth writer, but when you compare her last film, Ricki and the Flash, a film directed by Jonathan Demme (rest in peace), with Juno and Young Adult, it seems as though Reitman is the only director who truly brings out the vision that the script is going for. In both previous films and this, he captures that toll that depression takes on any human being who can never relax. This also leads to the film’s controversial ending, which has taken a divisive turn for both mothers and those suffering from mental illness like Marlo. While I understand where this lividness comes from, as well as acknowledge that my experiences with depression as a male differ drastically, after seeing the movie, it didn’t seem like the film misrepresented anything too offensively.

Charlize Theron really transformed herself for this role, not just in the weight, but in her movements as well. Going from adrenaline rushing projects like Mad Max: Fury Road and Atomic Blonde that have action so specifically stylized, and then putting on a mom body, you see the kind of dedication you rarely see from a performer, unless you’re Christian Bale. The exhaustion is present nearly almost the entire first half of the movie, with that desire to snap seething through every ounce of her body, both at her kids, one of which is special needs, and her husband, Drew (Ron Livingston). So when you see how much of a 180 Tully helps bring her to, you see just how much this life she has led has broken her, despite her best efforts. I especially love her chemistry with Mackenzie Davis, as it adds onto another strong point of any Jason Reitman film: the character development. You watch these two grow to trust one another like sisters, to where Marlo even sacrificed the sleep she wants just to talk with Tully. Upon first viewing, you’re charmed by them, but the second time viewing, it’s heartbreaking beyond belief.

In the end, Tully is a film that shows us the struggles of motherhood in this day and age, for the kind of people who are struggling to catch a break. From the great down-to-earth chemistry between very likable characters, to the dialogue that they share; it may not be the most uplifting film to see, especially after coming out of Infinity War, but you can bet that it’ll be worth remembering this year. It may differ for a lot of people, especially with viewpoints on motherhood and depression, but I feel like those kinds of discussions being brought up to the public is an action that's just as important to do.

Rating: A (Happy Mother's Day and Mental Health Awareness Month!)