When Diablo Cody burst onto the scene, winning the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for Juno in 2008, Hollywood was pretty much her oyster. She cashed in with Jennifer’s Body, a fun but ultimately unnecessary gore flick that gave Megan Fox one of her better roles. Then came United States of Tara, a grounded cable TV series following a mother with Dissociative Identity Disorder (multiple personalities) who goes off her meds in a journey of self discovery, much to the chagrin of her husband and kids. The series was well received and ran for three seasons, but Cody followed up with a string of underwhelming features that were devoid of her best qualities as a writer; Young Adult, Paradise, Ricki and the Flash. While comparisons to the film which made her famous are inevitable, it also says a great deal about the quality of her latest film, Tully.
This isn’t a sequel, as I’ve heard quoted in numerous ads for the new film. However, it’s a follow up that covers some overlapping territory. Juno deals with the toll an unplanned pregnancy takes on a teenage girl, her family and, ultimately, the positives that can be derived from it all. Tully, on the other hand, is more directly about the sacrifices women (and people in general) make in the name of the family. Thematically, there are some metaphysical questions about self and the nature of change, never more evident than during a conversation in which the two main characters discuss Theseus’s paradox regarding individual parts and their relationship to the whole. This film carries a heavier existential tone than that of its perceived predecessor and marks a noticeable maturity shift in Cody’s writing. The dialogue varies from intense outbursts to introspective reflection in the manner of someone retracing their steps in life. Aside from the main character, the supporting constructs are strong enough to hold up under examination but there’s in no hiding the disparity in depth between lead and her complementary parts.
Marlo is a complex character, more so than average, and she’s played expertly by Charlize Theron who was in need of a more substantive role. It seems like Fury Road was an eternity ago and franchised roles haven’t provided much of a challenge for the vastly talented Oscar winner. In this instance the audience gets to see her stripped bare, a world apart from her public face as a Dior model…battered and ravaged by a life that didn’t go according to plan. Marlo represents a lot of people and Theron’s ability to tap into those universals went a long way. She always brings her A-game, but this was her best role in a few years. At this point in the year, she’s likely the frontrunner for Best Actress but she didn’t get there alone.
Mackenzie Davis starred opposite Theron as the titular character, Tully. While she has some good credits on her resume, this was easily her most prominent role and she didn’t disappoint. Holding your own on screen with Hollywood heavyweights isn’t easy and plenty have faltered under those circumstances, but that wasn’t the case here. The two actresses played off one another wonderfully, Davis’s performance symbiotically enriched and was enriched by Theron’s. The reason becomes evident as the plot unfolds, but the execution of the idea was dependant on two strong performances. Calling it a star-making performance may be putting the cart before the horse, but she’ll definitely get her share of opportunities because of it.
Ron Livingston and Mark Duplass were solid casting choices, but they just aren’t big parts. Livingston plays Marlo’s semi-present husband Drew and Duplass plays her overachieving brother Craig. Their performances aren’t inherently bad and neither are the characters, but they serve as marker posts for Marlo’s personality at different points in her life rather than fully flushed out characters. In one instance Marlo refers to Drew as the “bench” on her carousel of a love life. In another, Craig calls himself “a rich asshole” and that basically sums up all those two bring to the narrative. Drew at least has a pinnacle moment at the end where Livingston actually gets to do some heavy lifting and he’s good in that instance. I just would have liked to see more of those two, but ultimately the film isn’t about them.
The focal point is something frequent collaborator, Jason Reitman, understood quite well. The director of Juno and Young Adult helmed his third project for Cody and their experience with one another shows in the final product. He’s got a strong grasp of pacing and timing, knowing when to hit the throttle and when to let the audience simmer. For a film that is something of a slow burn, keeping things moving was of the utmost importance. A good sense of humor certainly didn’t hurt Reitman’s take on things, but the film is more of a dark comedy than the punchy sarcasm we’ve seen in a few of his other offerings.
It’s easy to have faith in the composite parts of this movie. That trust is mostly rewarded with an honest, if not completely authentic, look at motherhood. I would imagine there is a whole generation who can sympathize with these characters and even for someone without children, like myself, the most human elements of the story still shine through.
Recommendation: With Avengers still dominating the box office, and the ridiculous offerings fending for scraps off the Marvel table, Tully is far from the worst way to spend your time and money. It has heart, but it’s a bit heavy too and it’s certainly going to resonate more with those who have kids…especially moms. With Mother’s Day weekend on deck, it feels like the right fit for both new and experienced moms without feeling like blatant audience pandering.
Grade: I’m beginning to lean towards not grading films anymore, but for the time being C+