KEITH on Reels

Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman best known for 2007’s Juno and 2009’s Up in the Air and written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody best known for 2007’s Juno, Tully is a must-see comedic drama about the ups and downs of motherhood that is brought to life by the painfully realistic script and superb acting performances. The plot revolves around a mother of three named Marlo, played by the always terrific Oscar winner Charlize Theron, who has a particularly challenging time with the birth of her third child. Like most parents, she is exhausted and sleep deprived to a point in which she is desperate for help of any kind, especially when her husband Drew, played by Ron Livingston, seems to be too busy at work. She also has to deal with her young son who is having behavioral issues at a prestigious elementary school. Initially, Marlo scoffs at her wealthy brother Craig, played by Mark Duplass, who offers to pay for her to have a so-called night nanny, a nanny only to care for a newborn infant at night so that the parents can get rest. Over time, she is more open to the idea and eventually a young free-spirited woman named Tully, played by Mackenzie Davis from the TV show Halt and Catch Fire, comes over to be the night nanny. Marlo and the vivacious Tully quickly develop a close friendship and have intimate conversations about family and in particular the difficulties that comes with motherhood. Although it sounds like a rather straightforward story, the excellent writing makes for a deeply moving experience in which there are funny and sad moments underscored by an unprecedented level of raw honesty about parenthood. There are some very unexpected events that make it even more of an appealing indie-style film that above all feels so real. The realism comes from the fact that it does not gloss over the many occasions when being a parent feels impossible, such as the constant juggling of taking care of oneself, cleaning up messes, running on very little sleep, and struggling to do what is best for your child. Despite all this, Marlo, as do most parents, realizes that it is worth it to raise a child and that motherly love somehow allows her to deal with the unpleasant aspects of parenting and become the best parent possible. Overall, I found it to be a truly remarkable movie with a top-notch directing/writing duo that delves deep into what it must be like to be a mother and provides yet another example of why Charlize Theron is such a talented actress.