Tully-2018
Director Jason Reitman
Starring Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis
Scott’s Review #905
Reviewed June 2, 2019
Grade: B
Tully, a 2018 film release, received wide recognition primarily due to a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Comedy, achieved by its star, Charlize Theron.
The actress carries the film and delivers an excellent performance, a great example of casting.
The film is targeted at a specific audience: females with newborn babies, mothers of children with behavioral issues, or women who have experienced something similar in their lifetime.
As such, the perspective is clearly from the female point of view, and men may not find much, if anything, to relate to. Nonetheless, the film is a worthy watch, though I’m not sure I’d classify it firmly in the comedy category. This may have more to do with who directed it.
Jason Reitman, famous for his creations Juno (2007) and Young Adult (2011), is known for coming-of-age films with dark edges. Nonetheless, I’d carefully teeter the movie more into the drama genre than straight comedy.
We meet a very pregnant Marlo (Theron) as she is about to give birth to her third child, the implication being that it is an unplanned pregnancy. She is already frazzled by her other two children, one of whom is Jonah, who has a developmental disorder, causing stress.
Her world consists of battles with Jonah’s school, her absent-minded husband Drew (Ron Livingston), and her brother Craig (Mark Duplass), who has married an affluent woman and tries to help Marlo.
Craig offers to pay for a night nanny, which would allow Marlo to be quiet, and she finally accepts. She meets the bizarre Tully (Mackenzie Davis), who slowly changes her life.
Theron reportedly gained over fifty pounds in preparation for the role and completely immersed herself in the part. Ordinarily, a gorgeous woman and an astounding actor, she is convincing as the tired and unfulfilled suburban mother.
Haggard, going through her day-to-day routines, reveals that she yearns to be young again. She finally revisits her old stomping grounds in Brooklyn, where her passion is awakened in New York.
Theron not only transforms her appearance but also portrays an enormous amount of emotion teetering between a responsible mother and a flighty middle-aged woman.
To say that Tully is a “woman’s film”, a phrase I dislike, is not entirely fair, but women will likely relate to the film the most. Men are not written exceptionally well; we see Drew meandering around the house, mostly staying in the bedroom, oblivious to his surroundings.
He is somewhat aware that a night nanny exists, but is more concerned with playing video games or traveling for work than with who is raising his child. He loves his family, yet is somewhat only half there, and his motivations and feelings are never explored very well.
The writing of this character perplexed me, or rather, I wondered why the character was written this way, to begin with.
As events progress, Tully serves up a brilliant twist ending, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality in a daring way.
The character of Tully becomes a godsend for Marlo. Suddenly, she is inspired by the younger woman who has her whole life ahead of her. Could Marlo be a bit jealous of the young and thin nanny? Tully inspires Marlo, but could she not be all that she seems? The final reveal leaves questions dangling over the viewer.
Is Tully all in Marlo’s head? Is it merely a coincidence that Marlo’s maiden name is Tully, or the reason for the nanny in the first place?
Tully (2018) plays like a female-centered coming-of-age story, ideally suited for women over 30. Others can enjoy it as the story has layers and borders on a character study, but the target audience is clear.
The surprise ending is tremendous and raises the film way above mediocrity; otherwise, it’s a traditional genre film.
Theron’s performance also adds an immeasurable amount to the film.
