Hubert, an angst-filled 17 year old boy, lives alone with his mother who he despises immensely. He spends most of his time annoyed by all of her various ticks, from her poor manners at the dinner table, to her decor choices. Through all of this, Hubert is a confused soul, whose love-hate relationship is so sporadic that it causes him all sorts of issues as he deals with adolescene. Xavier Dolan's debut feature, I Killed My Mother, is a unique story about the love-hate relationship which is shared between a mother and son. Hubert is a character that is hard to like early on, as we see his volatile nature around his mother, but as the film progresses we begin to see that there is more to their tumultous relationship then meets the eye. The script is well written and features dialogue that is very realistic for a young boy and his mother who are at ends with each other. Hubert is a well defined character and we see how his relationships outside of his mother shape his angst. For example, his father who neglects him, or how his boyfriend's mother is extremely easy going, giving Hubert a false believe that all mother-son relationships are so easy going. While this is Dolan's debut, it certaintly isn't lacking in style, with very unique transitions from fast inter-cutting still photography which sets the atmosphere of certain scenes, to black and white sequences where Hubert reflects, speaking into the camera about his relationship with his mother. It's interesting how Hubert and his mother's home features this red hue, as if Xavier Dolan is showing the viewer visually, the volatile energy in their relationship. While this is certaintly Hubert's story the film isn't entirely from his point of view. We are given a few great sequences which showcase the mother's feelings and emotions, particularly after she learns by complete coincidence that her son is a homosexual. My biggest complaint about the film is that at times it does seem to go a little bit overboard, reacing melodrama in an attempt to showcase this volatile situation. That being said, I Killed My Mother is not a perfect film, as it also feels a little uneven at times, but there is no denying that Xavier Dolan is a unique filmmaker with a ton of talent. 7.5/10
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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