David Lowery is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated American filmmakers working today. While his work with Disney (Pete's Dragon and Peter Pan & Wendy) were underwhelming, he has delivered some of the most visually fascinating films in recent memory with A Ghost Story and The Green Knight, as well as a pair of solid westerns in The Old Man and the Gun and Ain't Them Bodies Saints. Seeing Lowery bring his visual style to a film focused on pop music and fashion sounded like it could be a recipe for something fascinating, and while the end result doesn't live up to his best work, this film is still quite an experience.
The film follows the titular Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway), a world famous musician on the eve of a big comeback performance. Feeling wrong in the dress she is set to wear in the show, she shows up on the doorstep of her former best friend and costume designer Sam (Michaela Coel) begging her to design a new dress for her performance. Their reunion brings with is years of tension, as well as a supernatural force that has unknowingly tied them together.
There's really no way to sugarcoat it, this movie is weird. The premise seems pretty standard but the way Lowery weaves the supernatural into something both tangible and deeply metaphorical turns a simple premise into a puzzle for the viewer to solve. In some ways it is a ghost story despite what the trailers say, but it's more a rumination on guilt and regret between two people who have drifted from one another.
For those who don't like the movie, I would assume that the emphasis on metaphors and more abstract visuals rather than a concrete narrative will be a big reason why. This is essentially a chamber piece with a few flashbacks sprinkled throughout, and the film's conclusion doesn't give a traditionally satisfying ending. Truth be told I did leave the film wanting a bit more, specifically more depth between our two leads, but Lowery's fascinating visual language more than made up for the shortcomings.
Despite playing an almost mythological pop idol, Anne Hathaway's performance is pretty subdued here. There is one scene where she performs a bizarre dance without music which I would consider the highlight of her performance, but despite the character's grandeur we mostly see her in a closed off and isolated place. This doesn't limit her as a performer, but it does allow Michaela Coel to shine. Despite standing opposite one of Hollywood's most beloved, Coel steals the show here with a performance that shifts the perceived power balance between the two and commands your attention. The sound mix helps her performance quite a bit, as some moments will be dead silent aside from her dialogue while others will have an undercurrent of Mother Mary's music that gives her words a pulsing energy.
On top of the great performances, the filmmaking on display here is magnificent. The cinematography is stunning with a use of red sprinkled throughout that creates what will no doubt be some of the year's most impressive visuals. The music is solid, but it's the costume design that really shines. Costumes are central to the plot and designer Bina Daigeler brings her A-game to deliver some truly memorable fashion to the screen.
I wouldn't recommend this to everyone as I can see its narrative being divisive. But if you want a fashion forward ghost story of a similar ilk to Lowery's previous work I can easily see you enjoying this. 3.5/5
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