David Lowery’s latest is a spare, unsettling encounter that unfolds mostly inside a studio. The film centers on a global pop icon, Mary, and the designer who helped shape her image, Sam Anselm. With Mary pushing to stage a comeback, the reunion becomes a study in memory, ambition, and the cost of art.
A spare, intimate stage
Most of the film takes place in the shadowy, cluttered space where Sam works. Michaela Coel dominates these scenes, delivering long, resonant monologues that reveal Sam’s resentment, longing, and tenderness. Anne Hathaway’s Mary appears less luminous on screen, but her presence complicates their shared history, infusing the conversation with tension and hurt.
Hauntings and tone
Hauntings thread through the dialogue, suggesting that even years apart, their bond remains unfinished. Lowery leans into a formal, strange mood, letting Sam speak in riddles while Mary offers only hints of vulnerability. The result is a film that requires patience and invites interpretation rather than straightforward propulsion.
Craft and collaborators
Costume designer Bina Daigeler crafts iconic looks, with a finale gown by Iris van Herpen. The film also nods to its musical collaborators—Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX, and FKA Twigs—though the songs appear sparingly. Choreography from Dani Vitale helps shape the film’s measured, tactile rhythm.
Bottom line
Mother Mary isn’t about the star alone but about the absence of Mary and what that absence did to Sam. Lowery pursues a singular, audacious storytelling approach that eschews crowd-pleasing clarity in favor of a probing, elusive mood piece. It’s a rare, original voice in an industry hungry for reboots and sequels.
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