TIFF 2021: You Are Not My Mother Review

This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.

There is a magic that occurs when a film slowly and carefully tighten its narrative rope creating an almost palpable tension until the end. If successful, the result can be something that is incredibly impactful evoking strong emotions throughout. If not, the attempt can be praised with a further examination of what might have gone wrong along the way. Kate Dolan’s latest film, You Are Not My Mother, falls somewhere closer to the successful end of the spectrum is earned as it tells an eerily evolving story whose ending preserves the overall journey.

Based on Irish folklore, You Are Not My Mother follows Char (Doupe), a woman who believes there is something not right with her mother, Angela (Bracken). As the film unravels the driving force behind Char’s beliefs, it enters into a strange and mystical cloud of darkness that surrounds their entire family. It’s through Char’s search for the truth that she’s exposed to a reality well beyond her and the audience’s understanding all derived from her mother’s erratic behavior and contributed by the ominous atmosphere that resides over the entire town hinting at something more sinister in the shadows for those that take the time to look for it.

The film’s pacing is consistent and often times patient resulting in a feeling of simplicity that can quickly lose its audience, however, in its final act, You Are Not My Mother delivers an unsettling sequence of events that completely dismantles any sense of security or assuredness from the viewer all leading to a chilling climax. This suspenseful rise is not accomplished without the amazing talent of Doupe and Bracken who deliver equally impressive performances from two very different perspectives that help maneuver the plot in a highly intricate manner as a daughter’s love for her mother is pushed to its limits.

In the end, You Are Not My Mother excels at its goal to unsettle its audience. The film delivers a truly engaging story that at times could have quickened its pacing but nevertheless succeeds by displaying a fascinating and anxiety-inducing story supported by beautifully haunting folklore.

still courtesy of TIFF

Check out my Critics Without Credentials podcast on iTunes and Spotify.

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.

Critics w/o Credentials

Trying my best to get all thoughts about TV and Film out of my head and onto the interweb.