If there’s one horror film that left us feeling like we’ve been run over by a freight train of fear, confusion, and terror all at once, it’s Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! But what makes this film such a chilling roller-coaster ride, and why does it stick with us like a thorn in our memory? Starring the impeccable Jennifer Lawrence, Michelle Pfeiffer & Javier Bardem, Mother! is a psychological horror that throws the idea of unexpected guests into a nightmarish tailspin.
Lawrence’s portrayal of a nameless housewife pitted against Bardem’s irritable writer, left viewers biting their nails in suspense. And then this horror multiplied when Pfeiffer and Ed Harris strode into Lawrence’s isolated home.
The film’s unconventional style extended beyond its plot; Pfeiffer shared her unparalleled and different experience, citing the director’s practice of filming the “entire movie on his iPhone”.
Michelle Pfeiffer’s Perspective on Mother!’s Filmmaking Approach
In Darren Aronofsky’s 2017 nightmare creation, appropriately titled Mother! Jennifer Lawrence delivered a mesmerizing cocktail of emotions that only she can express. But things took a turn for the bleak when the poor actress reportedly dislocated her rib during filming (see Vogue).
And if that wasn’t enough drama, Michelle Pfeiffer, revealed in an interview with TIME that working on Mother! pushed her to break one of her sacred Hollywood rules. In this psychological labyrinth, Lawrence plays a housewife whose life takes a turn for the worse when her home is invaded by Pfeiffer and Ed Harris. The two visitors shake up Lawrence’s peaceful existence, turning her rural sanctuary into a battleground of chaos and intrusion.
Speaking of challenges, Pfeiffer told TIME that Aronofsky, being the eccentric filmmaker that he is, filmed the entire movie on his iPhone during rehearsals.
It was a very different experience—even the rehearsal process. [For reference] Darren actually filmed the entire movie on his iPhone during rehearsals. And that is something that I would never have really allowed. I never like behind-the-scenes filming because it destroys the element of entering another world.
But the actress went along with it because, well, she trusted the director. When asked about her initial reaction to the script, Pfeiffer described it as disturbing and provocative – unlike anything she had ever read before. To quote her:
It was very disturbing, very provocative. It was unlike anything I had ever read.
Moreover, Aronofsky’s intention to channel the anxiety of our current times certainly came through in the film. Pfeiffer likened it to a “nightmare” where she’s “trying to warn people” of impending doom but nobody is listening. It’s like Darren is shaking us all awake, yelling:
Wake up, people!
The film was a real hot potato, pulling in $44.5 million worldwide (Box Office Mojo) while managing to win over critics despite stirring up a storm of mixed opinions.
Mother!: Jennifer Lawrence’s Injury Didn’t Halt Production?
When it comes to pushing the envelope in filmmaking, Darren Aronofsky’s Mother! is a textbook example of determination. Jennifer Lawrence, renowned for her ability to morph into any character, plunged into one of her darkest roles to date. Recalling her experience, the actress, 33, revealed the depths she had to explore, telling Vogue:
I had to go to a darker place than I’ve ever been in my life.
The toll of filming this intense psychological thriller was more than metaphorical. During one of the heated filming moments, Lawrence said that she was left gasping for air and ended up dislocating a rib:
I have oxygen tubes in my nostrils, and Darren’s like, ‘It was out of focus; we’ve got to do it again.’ And I was just like, ‘Go f**k yourself.’
As if that wasn’t enough, she also tore her diaphragm, as Aronofsky confirmed in an interview with The Guardian:
Yeah, she ended up tearing her diaphragm. She was hyperventilating.
The situation, intense enough to rival a pressure cooker, also saw Aronofsky and Lawrence’s personal relationship heat up, but their focus remained squarely on the film.
Acknowledging the severity of the circumstances, Aronofsky gave Lawrence the necessary downtime to recover from her ordeal.
So, if you’re in the mood for a psychological horror that’s equal parts unsettling and thought-provoking, Mother! might just be the cinematic experience you’ve been looking for!
Stream Mother! on Prime Video.
