Episode 18: mother! & Mother

Mother times two. Sarah Watt, Max Tarrant, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss the films mother! (2017) and Madeo, or Mother (2009). The discussion starts around mother! (2017) and unpacks its more horrific elements. We then have a back and forth discussion around the merits of Jennifer Lawrence’s character and the strength of her performance. We then jump into the allegory of the film, wondering whether it is a commentary on the experience of women, a commentary on Darron Arronofsky’s romantic relationships, or a commentary on Man’s treatment of the planet. Perhaps it is about obsession with a person’s own creation, whatever the context… Our discussion then moves onto Mother, or Madeo, from Korean director Joon Ho Bong. We start by unpacking the central mother character, played wonderfully by Hye-ja Kim. The portrayal of the young women and their sexualisation is discussed, with the film coming across as immature in this regard. The character of the son and the way his mental disability is dealt with is talked about, and how this aspect of his character is used. We also talk about the relationship between him and his mother. We then talk about the social commentary of the film, particularly its depiction of the impoverished situation of the town. We finish by generally discussing the messages behind both films and how they connect to other films.