A widowed single mother, raising her violent son alone, finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor inserts herself into their household.
Dolan has previously been accused of style over substance but here he draws both magnificently together. It’s perhaps a little too long, but Mommy is a movie to make you feel alive.
Exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure – a decent approximation of how the characters feel – Mommy puts us through every setting on the emotional wringer.
Arguably the best mother-son film since Psycho.
Invigorating drama is performed with frankness and intensity.
Directing prodigy Xavier Dolan has made his best film yet, a shocking, wildly inventive black comedy about a single mother bringing up a troubled teenager.
Rising star Antoine Olivier Pilon plays ADHD teenager Steve with explosive energy in this impressive account.
An unforgettable film, heartbreaking, at times funny, but always directed with a sympathetic eye by Dolan, it provides no easy answers.
A Conversation with Xavier Dolan
General release. Check local listings for show times.
RSS feed of Cinema reviews