Cert 15
133 mins
BBFC advice: Contains very strong language, strong sex reference
Hot on the heels of X + Y, a film which focuses on a teenager with autism, comes Mommy, with a central character who has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Despite being very different conditions - the result is a heap of frustration for their widowed mothers.
In this case, the mum (Anne Dorval) makes the problem of her son's behaviour worse by being erratic herself.
Dorval's character is already on a rollercoaster before she is reunited with her troubled son Steve (Antoine-Olivier Pilon).
To say their relationship is tempestuous is an understatement. They swear at each loudly for most of the film and these verbal volleys often threaten to spill over.
At the same time, there is an uneasy sense that the son has inappropriate feelings about his glamorous mother.
Thrown into the mix is a stammering neighbour (Suzanne Clement) who joins the battle to bring Steve under control while facing her own demons.
I was impressed by the sense of realism in Xavier Dolan's film. There are no easy remedies to Steve's condition and he is always threatening to make both his mum and neighbour snap despite their surprising tolerance.
Mommy boasts three outstanding performances but Pilon's is the most memorable. The energy he expends is phenomenal and the role must have been mentally and physically exhausting.
I don't know of anyone with ADHD so I can't accurately congratulate or condemn Dolan for his presentation of the condition.
If I accept that it is near the mark, I would add that Mommy is a compelling if, at times, hard to watch movie. However, it is too long.
It boasts a fine soundtrack with classic songs from the likes of Dido and Oasis.
Suzanne Clement: There are scenes that becomes something else because Xavier (Dolan) leads us in another direction, one to which we didn't expect to give ourselves over. Xavier knows all his characters. He becomes each of his characters."
Reasons to watch: three high quality performances
Reasons to avoid: Longer than it should be and repetitive
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: none
Overall rating: 8/10