12 Critical Responses To 2017 Films That Make No Sense

The Film:

Darren Aronofsky's utterly bonkers allegorical drama - not the horror film as everyone was expecting - revolves around a couple whose tranquil lives are shattered by various guests invading their lives.

The Response:

Polarized but largely unenthusiastic, with the film getting a rare F score from CinemaGrade.

Why They Got It Wrong:

In this case, people weren't expecting the right thing because the marketing was way off. There was no way to market this movie as what it really is, so it was just depicted as a horror film, and while it is horrific, it's something far more interesting than "just" a horror film.

In some ways, the backlash is understandable: Mother! is undeniably self-indulgent, sometimes emotionless and often dull. Despite those flaws, it is still a good work with plenty to say. Thanks to its audacity, artistry and multi-layered themes, there's a certain charm to the film. Well, as charming as any film featuring such horrific violence can be anyway.

Jennifer Lawrence is brilliant and many of the other cast members are strong, while the allegory at the film's center is always interesting and done with artistic flair. There is simply nothing else like this, and it's hard to think of anything else where the entire film is literally a continuous allegory.