The first thing you notice about Xavier Dolan's Mommy is the unusual aspect ratio in which it is filmed - the boxy 1:1 image makes the film resemble something from Instagram, that is until Dolan occasionally widens the frame during a couple of key sequences. Mommy might not break new ground in terms of the subject matter - a mother struggles to cope with her wayward ADHD-suffering son, finding comfort and more than a little help from their eccentric neighbour - but the conviction of Dolan's direction and the incredibly assured performances make this a cut above the average kitchen-sink drama. The moments of intensity shared by these troubled characters are beautifully offset with scenes of calm - but inevitably their lives are headed towards a storm, and as you'd expect the life of an angst-ridden teenager has more downs than it does ups.
