I Am Mother (2019)
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I Am Mother Movie Review
I Am Mother is a 2019 Australian science fiction film directed by Grant Sputore starring Clara Rugaard, Rose Byrne and Hilary Swank. It’s such a fun, suspenseful flick.
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“Contrary to your understandable assumptions,
my primary directive is to care for humanity“
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A teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate Earth. Their bond is tested when a stranger arrives with alarming news. I found the plot both derivative and original, but that mix was strong in my opinion as it took some of the best parts of other sci-fi movies, mostly from Ridley Scott and ‘Alien’, and it infused into it its own original ideas. All of it worked for me, leading to one incredibly underrated, harshly judged movie by some critics.
It’s one of those movies which are both SF and thriller, succeeding maybe even more in the latter area. That’s because the build-up was so long, but rich in details and mystery that the unleashed second and especially third act felt incredibly suspenseful and thrilling to follow. Some scenes are quite intense and beautifully detailed in execution.
But let’s talk about those SF elements. Yes, the film is overly ambitious to its detriment as it failed to explore all of its themes properly, but it’s still a very sophisticated take on parenthood in particular. I found it to be a great metaphor for a child having to abandon the confines and security of their parent’s home and pursue their own destiny.
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It also deals with artificial intelligence and robots in a very clever, complex manner. Yes, the twist in the movie came a bit too early and it was predictable, but it was executed in such a flawless, intense and intriguing manner that I found it terrific nonetheless. The way robots and humans think and how they differ was beautifully explored, and simply the idea of a child being raised by a robot did provoke some interesting questions about humanity, and ultimately how different that child would turn out to be from other, regularly raised humans.
Clara Rugaard as Daughter is lovely. This is one hell of a performance from one truly talented newcomer. I hope she makes a career for herself as this work that she gave here is excellent, believable and emotionally complex. I found her character very likable and I cared what would happen to her.
I also really liked Hilary Swank who killed it per usual in a supporting, but essential role in the film. She brought the necessary, flawed humanity to the picture, and the relationship between her and Daughter is fascinating. I found the idea of her having two vastly different mothers in a way compelling.
Speaking of Mother, she is the highlight of the movie. This robot is both incredibly loyal and quite deadly, very sweet and instantly dangerous. I found that duality to her gripping, and she succeeds as a very complex robot character who is calculated, but also quite caring at the same time.
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I Am Mother definitely crumbled a bit near the end as the overall third act was a bit messy, but ultimately I loved most of the movie, and it was quite riveting in terms of pacing, engagement and editing. The direction is solid, the dialogue and its themes are great, the emotion is evident and the production design is splendid. The special effects are truly phenomenal, especially considering its probably low budget as it is after all a Netflix feature. The robots looked great, and its post-apocalyptic feel and setting are so well brought to life.
I Am Mother is a gripping, intense SF thriller that has an involving, well-crafted build-up that culminates so satisfyingly in a thrilling second half. Hilary Swank is reliably strong, Rose Byrne gives a memorable voice to Mother, and newcomer Clara Rugaard was stupendous in the main role. The VFX and production design are fantastic, and the film cleverly deals with artificial intelligence, morality and the necessity of a child’s independence. It’s thus a very underappreciated flick that needs to be seen by more people.
