Review by khungus-1

I tend to gravitate more towards performances over mise-en-scene, art direction, cinematography etc. I can appreciate all those things but if I'm not buying what the performers are selling well, then that's a film I'm not fully engaged with regardless of its directorial pedigree.

So Amy Adams is the best actor of her generation and this is one of her very greatest roles, if not the very best. How does an actor convey pathos without dipping into sympathetic cliches? Or deliver rage without turning into a screeching, uncontrollable mess? Adams Is so in tune with her bodily instrument that watching her always hit the right notes, the right shades, the right everything, never ceases to amaze me. She never goes too far snd in a part like this it would've been easy for her to do so. This is a character that has fallen into some psychological potholes and has regressed in part into a feral animal, is subsequently inspired by her flights as a pack leader and uses it to regain her inspiration, clean up her problematic marriage and regain her footing.

Scoot McNairy is pretty great too in what could've been a one note clueless husband type role. He has two excellent scenes, both with Adams that give his character an added dimension of humanity. He's a likable actor and I was happy for him by the end of the movie.

This is the movie about modern motherhood that feels like has been made already but actually hasn't. So much of it feels so familiar because it's universal not derivative. Deep admiration for everyone involved, one of the best of the year.