Refreshingly brave

A no-holds-barred look into the realities of motherhood, Tully is one of Charlize Theron’s finest works, which for an actor of her calibre is truly saying something, writes Anna Romanska.

Big-budget candy cane superhero action romps are, of course, entertaining and exciting, but too much of a good thing can leave you with a bitter taste in your mouth.

If you find yourself wanting something a little different as a respite from explosions and magic, this ‘indie dram-edy’ has enough personality and bite to keep you wanting more.

Director of critically-acclaimed cult classic Juno, Jason Reitman, returns with a vengeance, and this time he’s targeting motherhood, femininity, and mermaids.

Theron stars as Marlo, a mother-of-three including a recent newborn, struggling to balance her overwhelming responsibilities amidst all the exhaustion. She is offered a night nanny by her brother, and after some initial hesitation, comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, free-spirited, and occasionally challenging young woman, named Tully, and played by Mackenzie Davis.

Right off the bat, this is probably one of the best films I’ve watched for a while, especially in its genre as an independent comedy drama. Greatness leaves you wondering in its wake, mulling over the story and symbols and characters, and this is exactly that kind of film.

That might be attributed to the sharp turn away from tired clichés of rude, exhausted, scandalous mothers, comically absent and incompetent fathers, and even turns the manic pixie dream girl trope on its pink tie-dye head.

Theron as Marlo is Oscar-worthy; an actor known for picking roles that challenge the way we conventionally see women, she’s come into her element here.

She’s exhausted, but warm, and still manages to find humour in the train-wreck of her domestic life. Marlo isn’t looking to throw her baby out with the bathwater; she just needs a change of perspective, and her journey through the first few weeks of night-nannying with Tully give us this in all its heartfelt, mysterious glory.

The young blood here is Davis, playing the eponymous Tully, a night nanny with a penchant for open communication and taking care of both babies and adults.

Theron and Davis have undeniable chemistry here, the bond between them growing stronger with each midnight baby-feeding session. The trademarks of an indie film are there in the form of carefree youth, mundane adulthood, and the consequences of the two clashing. However, none of it is cloying or pretentious.

Each line of dialogue is razor-sharp, hitting right on the nose of motherhood and womanhood.

This is a movie that never misses an opportunity to be ironic or funny, which is partly what makes it such a joy to watch.

It’s reminiscent of Jason Reitman’s earlier work, Juno, in its gritty quirkiness, taking pieces of indie film culture and building a new structure around them with more originality than most.

Tully will leave you with a lot of questions, most of which there are no answers to. But even though it’s by no means a featherweight film, it doesn’t try hard to be heavy.

It’s all about accepting the realities you have, giving the best you have, and loving the hardest you can.

l Now showing in: Cineco, Seef II, Dana Cinemas, Wadi Al Sail, Mukta A2, Al Jazeera