Review by Lou Cai
A film that hurts — deeply.
Especially on a sonic level, it pierces your nerves. The director layers sound upon sound — music, a baby’s cries, barking dogs, the buzzing of flies — constantly provoking your patience, forcing you into the protagonist’s mental state. Yet all we see is the woman’s madness, while the real source of her suffering — the absence of fragile husbands and fathers — remains largely invisible.
There are many films that explore motherhood; narratively, it’s hard for a director to offer something truly new. But I can’t help being moved by this film’s raw, unrestrained, manic portrayal. What woman doesn’t want to go mad sometimes? I just want to run into that field and dance with the wildfire.
Jennifer Lawrence once again delivers an outstanding performance, though we’ve seen similar expressions in several of her past roles. I hope to see her take on more varied and layered characters in the future.
