Pieces Of A Woman Review: 7 Ups & 3 Downs

Ups...

7. Vanessa Kirby's Oscar-Worthy Performance

Yes, Vanessa Kirby is every bit as good as the hype suggests, giving a star-making performance as Martha, and one sure to net her a Best Actress nomination if not the win outright (though she'll face stiff competition from Frances McDormand's superb work in Nomadland).

Even in the film's weaker moments Kirby is a force of nature here, yet despite the aforementioned melodrama most of her best scenes aren't screaming matches or monologues, but those subdued, quiet moments where Mundruczó simply focuses on her pained face.

The opening half-hour alone would be enough to ensure Kirby an Oscar nomination, but the fact that she holds the film aloft for its overlong entirety is all the more credit to her.

For an actress who recently came to mainstream prominence in films such as Mission: Impossible - Fallout and Hobbs & Shaw, this is a major step-up and will hopefully lead to similarly beefy dramatic roles in the future.