David Lowery, at least for me, is a polarizing filmmaker. I loved his A Ghost Story (2017), a poetic, beautiful examination of the loneliness of the dead. On the other hand, I found his Green Knight (2021) grossly overrated, and just plain old exhausting to sit through. It is with a heavy heart that I report his new feature, Mother Mary, shares many characteristics with the latter.
The movie looks good, has a unique feel and tone, the dark cinematography and music enchanting us right off the bat. But Lowery soon wastes the talents of Anne Hathaway (playing a famous pop-star) and Michaela Cole (playing her costume designer) - one displaying heartfelt anguish, the other possessing a face worthy of an enigmatic statue - but providing them with an expository tale, where much is said, and little ultimately shown. Not even the most patient viewer is likely to be rewarded with a memorable climax. The narrative eventually succumbs to the psychological and the supernatural, involving a red ghost. When you realize he's trying to mimic an Ingmar Bergman melodrama, you'll stop caring (chances are).
Mother Mary is a beautiful misfire, and it proves that Lowery is a gifted director, even if he's erred here. I hope he goes back to making movies for audiences, instead of just for himself.
☆1/2
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