Director: David Lowery
Writer: David Lowery
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer
Synopsis: Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop star Mother Mary reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer, Sam Anselm, on the eve of her comeback performance.
Mother Mary couldn’t release at a better time, with Coachella just reminding us of the power that pop stars hold. Sabrina Carpenter’s Hollywood inspired set had social media mesmerized and featured duets with the “Queen of Pop” Madonna. Fans tend to put these artists up on a pedestal, completely unaware of what goes into making them who they are and what their lifestyle takes. Enter Director and writer David Lowery who dissects a pop star and shows us the impact of fame and art on the woman that has so many cheering for her.
This narrative isn’t quite a ghost story or love story, but Lowery uses elements of both throughout to dig into a fictional pop star and her estranged costume designer friend. Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) and Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) have been burdened by tons of trauma in the name of fame. You can see it written all over their faces and bodies. It cost them the purest thing they had, their friendship, as Sam eventually found herself on the outside looking in while Mother Mary’s star rose.
What makes so many artists fascinating is their obvious singing talent and supposed authenticity. In Mother Mary, David Lowery builds a story around the titular character as she begins to wonder if her authentic self is nothing but a sham constructed by those around her. It’s such an intriguing idea that will make you think as you watch the illusion of Mother Mary be ripped apart by Sam, who finally managed to build a stable life just for her old friend to storm back in. All that’s left is the traumatized woman she knows better than anyone and that’s who this new dress is for.
You’ve never seen trauma and fame unpacked through such an intimate, captivating, chilling story that will remain in your mind long after you’ve left the theater. Mother Mary largely spends its time with Mother Mary and Sam as they take on everything haunting them which includes their fractured bond. It can be horrifying to confront your past and Lowery has found a way of making that even worse by leaning into the horror elements to convey Mother Mary and Sam’s trauma. From a viewer perspective, this just makes these moments even worse because you’ll understand where these women are coming from and see how much they’ve sacrificed and suffered in the name of art.
The only real potential drawback to this film is how much like a play it is. We spend so much time with Hathaway and Coel and there’s not always going to be a big moment. If you can look past that and really wrap yourself up in these performances, which shouldn’t be hard, you’ll really enjoy this.
This is part of why Lowery’s decision to intercut Mother Mary and Sam’s one-on-one moments with concerts at the height of the singer’s fame is great. It lets us see why she’s such a big deal and be swept up in her music as if we’re fans while also making Mother Mary’s reality that much more of a gut punch. What audiences see on stage isn’t real, it’s a performance, but the greatest artists, like Mother Mary, have a way of projecting an image to their fans whether they want to or not. These concert sequences are incredible in every way, with stunning visuals and Hathaway owning the stage as she sings hypnotizing original songs written by Jack Antonoff, Charli xcx, and FKA Twigs.
When you think about musicians and their concerts, the thing that comes to mind outside of the music and choreography is their outfits. Mother Mary puts our lead in some breathtaking looks that you won’t be able to get enough of. They could only ever be worn by this character and fit the vibe of her music perfectly. Mother Mary’s halo-shaped headpieces are iconic, regardless of how she feels about them. These outfits help tell the story, because they’re more about the image that those around her want fans to see rather than a true projection of who she is, and that’s why she visits Sam, to get something that represents her.
With such a complex tale, you need someone with extraordinary talent to bring the title character to life. Thankfully for David Lowery, Anne Hathaway said yes because no one could’ve played this role like her. She puts so much into it, balancing between the disconnected stage persona and the human being underneath who only emerges when she’s with Sam. It’s heartbreaking to watch this person who seems to be living her dream but in reality is struggling to go on. At first, it’s spellbinding to watch Hathaway on stage, but as the film keeps going, it turns into such a tragedy. You’re just waiting for Mother Mary to succumb to the weight of everything and once she does, it feels like your heart is being ripped out. This character is among the greatest that Hathaway has ever brought to life and it feels like it will require several watches in order to fully understand her.
A lot of the same things can be said about Michaela Coel’s Sam Anselm. Her relationship with Mother Mary is juicy and Coel has top notch chemistry with Hathaway. Sam keeps her guard up around Mother Mary, but there’s a hint of joy that she’s back hidden on Coel’s face. After all, she’s an artist, and Mother Mary was the creation that no one really gave her credit for. Why not jump at the chance to fix what you made and get some answers along the way? It’s a treat watching Coel deliver meaty monologues with ease and create this enthralling character with a complicated relationship to fame and her ex friend Mother Mary.
There are two supporting cast members who stand out and help make this story stronger. I can’t say too much without spoiling, but FKA Twigs crushes it as the mysterious Imogen. I was so engrossed by her that I didn’t even realize who she was at first. Then there’s Hunter Schafer as Sam’s assistant Hilda, who may not have a ton of screen time but still manages to leave her mark on the film. Doing memorable work and then leaving is a trademark of Schafer’s filmography at this point, save for 2024’s Cuckoo where she was given the chance to be the lead and excelled.
You won’t be able to get enough of Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel’s performances in Mother Mary, David Lowery’s beautiful, devastating examination of a pop star. This film has so much depth to its story and characters that there are tons of ways that you could interpret it. I look forward to not only hearing other’s opinions, but seeing if my thoughts change after multiple rewatches.
