The Good Mother
Summary
The twelvemonth is 2016 , during which fentanyl and other opioids have become some of the result causes of drug overdose in Albany , NY . Michael Bennings ( Madison Harrison ) is a dupe of drug abuse , though it is n’t directly what kill him in director Miles Joris - Peyrafitte ’s opening night succession . rather , Bennings is shoot dead in the street during a drive - by . The beginning ofThe Good Mothersets itself up as an interesting murder mystery with a with child batch to say about the fentanyl epidemic . But as the film get on , it contend to pick a lane that make sensory faculty for its narration and their reference . ThoughThe Good Mothercontains great talent like Hilary Swank and Olivia Cooke , the predictable formula holds it back from saying something meaningful .
Two - time Oscar winner Hilary Swank asterisk as Marissa Bennings , mother to the recently killed Michael and a journalist at the Times Union . This is now the second death Marissa has experienced in her family ( the old being her husband ) , and it slow begins to take a toll on her workplace aliveness and mental health . To get by , Marissa twist to alcohol while her other son Toby ( Jack Reynor ) buries himself with work as a local pig ready to solve his comrade ’s murder . But then there ’s Paige ( Olivia Cooke ) , Michael ’s pregnant girl who is adamant about her intuition surrounding her fan ’s death . When Marissa and Paige take shape an unbelievable alliance to investigate Michael ’s death , a world of degeneracy is revealed along with darker closed book .
As with most slaying closed book , The Good Motherfollows the general trend of identifying probable defendant early on . Through this , the handwriting — by Madison Harrison and Miles Joris - Peyrafitte — attempts to unravel three distinct base via the actions of its grapheme . The first is about the drug epidemic in the United States . Though the film never gets into detail , it provides a nice representation of the backlash within this existence . Swank ’s Marissa , in particular , is forced to grieve her boy while uncovering dark truths about him in the process . regrettably , that ’s the extent of the playscript ’s exploration on this . Even Marissa ’s journalism scope takes a back seat where it could have come in ready to hand , resulting in a thriller that fail its own characters .
The screenplay is also structure like a grapheme study centre around new beginnings and our magnetic inclination to serve sorrow by running from it all . With Marissa , she either buries herself in alcohol or turn a blind eye to things right in front of her . Luckily , and thanks to Paige ’s on-going side investigations , The Good Motherrises above some of the limitation of the murder mystery genre . However , by the picture ’s remainder , you realize the fibre development is almost non - existent , or occur so short that it ’s hard to determine what drove them to certain decisions . A more gradual overture to fictional character changes would have do good the film greatly .
Towards the later third of the moving-picture show , it ’s ostensible that the screenplay wants us to recognize that value-system and morals are most often blurred when it come to family . HadThe Good Motherconcentrated on this concept , the picture show could have been something limited , recognized for more than just its predictable and formulaic storytelling . However , the inability to commit to its themes not only made the story uninteresting , but it limited the work of its actors as well . Swank and Cooke make a great pair onscreen and do all they can to raise the more notable components with esteem to their characters ’ actions . Yet , it ’s never quite enough , leading to an unmemorable viewing experience .
For every interesting element and theme within this film , there is an equally dissatisfactory one . The Good Motherbarely scratches the surface of some authoritative conversations , which made it hard to pull to the direction of the fib , and clearly so . Even with the talented Swank and Cooke , nothing much comes from their arise kinship thanks to a book that does n’t commit to its responsibilities with respect to storytelling . Ambiguity can sometimes make a plastic film , exit us the probability to imagine a originative outcome for the characters we have come to live . In the case ofThe Good Mother , however , the vagueness spite it , resulting in a forgettable experience with no replay value .
Hilary Swank in The Good Mother
The Good Motherreleases in field on September 1 . The film is 89 minute long and rated universal gas constant for language throughout , some tearing mental object , and drug material .
Hilary Swank star as diarist Marissa Bennings in The Good Mother , a crime drama / thriller that reckon her seeking payback for the death of her alienated son . Partnering with her boy ’s pregnant girlfriend , Marissa plunge into a hidden felonious underground internet within Albany , New York to discover the truth of the incident .
Hilary Swank in The Good Mother
Olivia Cooke and Hilary Swank in The Good Mother
