Review of Tully (2018) by Benskylerhill — 04 May 2018

Tully is a pleasant surprise. It’s a flawed film, but it defies expectations in the best sort of way. What’s expected to be a feel-good family-centred dramedy actually turns out to serve as a smart story about the unforgiving dark struggles and sacrifices that necessarily accompany motherhood.

It does a good job at staying down-to-Earth. The characters and dialogue feel very genuine thanks to the actors performing not as extraordinary, but purely ordinary people, and the script they go off of to encapsulate such real-life dialogue. Unfortunately, sometimes the movie immerses itself too deeply in reality and provides some scenes and lines that feel too monotonous and ordinary, like they aren’t integral enough to be story to have a reason to be present. Another result of the realism of the story is that we’re presented with dialogue that feels somewhat awkward or out of place or just isn’t interesting at all. The realistic story certainly makes it relatable, but that’s counteracted by the inclusion of the boring aspects of real life.

There’s a plot twist at the end of the film that I certainly won’t spoil, but is just as much of a double-edged sword as the aforementioned aspects of the story. It’s thoroughly unpredictable and causes the audience to deeply appreciate and reflect on the endless sacrifices that mothers make to raise their children, but looking back on the rest of the story leading up to that point it just doesn’t make sense. The characters’ behaviour up until the twist doesn’t seem to match up with the reality that’s revealed at the end of the film. Thus the sweet overall message is unfortunately muddled slightly.

But in the end, those flaws don’t really matter as much as they should because the movie is just so unapologetically raw and real. It’s sober reflection on uncomfortable struggles of human life is bolstered by relatable humour and performances and Tully becomes a film that is essential viewing for everyone who has or has had a mother figure in their life. Story: 7.

Acting: 8.5.

Script: 7.5.

Visuals/Sound: 8.

Entertainment Value: 8.

OVERALL SCORE: 7.