I’m Trevor with the Sasquatch Movie Minute with a look at MOTHER MARY, directed by David Lowery, starring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Cole. An iconic pop star in crisis visits her estranged former costume designer to beg for an unforgettable dress.

3.5 out of 5

What an experience! This is a heightened movie, where every line drips with heavy meaning. The first half is a superbly acted, talky, 2-hander play between the leads. Then the story takes a sudden detour into some gonzo gothic territory, mixing a supernatural metaphorical tone into the mix. There is no definitive theme here, which can be a frustrating viewing experience. I found it to be a stunning exploration of the creative process; be it the suffering for lyrical inspiration or the flourish and fold of dress fabric. The story builds to a stunning climax, but it asks you to get there solely on swelling emotion and due to a badly delivered final monologue, I couldn’t quite make that leap. I wish I was able to connect to it on more of an emotional level. One fascinating thing about this that a reviewer pointed out is that there is not a single male in this film. And it is never highlighted or commented on. How cool!

Best Scene. There is a long tracking shot of Hathaway stumbling through various pop star backstages that was expressively exaggerated to highlight her deterioration. Such a deftly creative sequence. The entire look of this film is color-popping lush.

Best Performance. Michaela Cole is a revelation to me, what an incredible presence. I have always been on the fence with Anne Hathaway, but here she mixes artificial performance and even silliness with stunningly subtle facial work. 2026 is the year of Hathaway, this is the first of 5 movies she is in, and she is off to a spectacular start.

A weird and challenging film that has a pace that can alternately drag and sprint. Not for everyone!