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Here's a look at the new movie I saw this week.

Mother!
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, Kristen Wiig, and Michelle Pfeiffer
Synopsis: People have reacted harshly to writer/director Darren Aronofsky's latest film, "Mother!." Many have slammed it as the worst film of the year, or decade. Some have hailed it a complete masterpiece. The last film I remember being this polarizing was "Tree of Life," the epic from Terrence Malick that was both deeply personal and touched on some interesting religious questions and ideology. Some applauded and some booed when it premiered at Cannes. Some had it atop the Year's Best list, others panned it as the year's worst film. "Mother!" seems destined to go the same route, and may even end up being an award nominee along the way. It wouldn't surprise me. Technically, it's well done. And I thought it had some great performances. Say what you want about Lawrence, but as a performer I admire her quite a bit. She could easily have slipped into a certain kind of role and raked in big bucks for it. But she seems interested in the craft as much as anything, and that has led her to make some bold and interesting choices, such as her role in "Mother!" It is unlike anything I've seen this year or, let's be honest, ever. And she's quite good in a physically and psychologically demanding role. And I applaud her for her craft. In some ways, I applaud Aronofsky for his craft in creating this film, too. But I can't say I liked, appreciated, or totally understood all of it. I'd probably have to watch it several more times and think about it for many more hours to totally digest it, and frankly I'm not sure it's that interesting to me. I have never been a big Aronofsky fan. His work is unique and controversial, and it's often brilliant. "Black Swan" and "The Wrestler" were not my cup of tea from a story standpoint, but both are fascinating and brilliant films. You could probably say the same about "Requiem For a Dream," which is a tough watch. But a few years back he gave us "Noah," which felt like an oddly personal flop that had bad theology. "Mother!" suffers from some of the same issues. It feels personal, and like he's lashing out at organized religion for its hypocrisy and making the world the way it is. And maybe he has a point at some level. But this film is dark, oddly constructed, and feels a bit vindictive. (Spoiler alert) the last act feels like a very pointed attack at a God who's distant and uncaring and Christians who are greedy hypocrites. While I admire his attempt to understand theology (when they ate the Poet's baby I was both amazed that he understood the depth of transubstantiation and grossed out), but it feels like it comes from a place of anger. Maybe that is a misreading, but it was my strong take away. Which is another reason this film ends up being, like the current state of our country, so polarizing. And it's certainly not for everyone. While I don't hate the attempt, I didn't enjoy the film, either, and it's not hard to see why so many others have eschewed it since its release.
Rating: R for strong disturbing violent content, some sexuality, nudity and language.
Verdict: One stars out of four.

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