Mommy Reflection

Romain Rolland once said, “There is only one heroism in the world: to see the world as it is and to love it.” For me, that’s why the film is named “Mommy”, instead of “Son.”

In Mommy, Xavier Dolan moved the me by challenging the matter of course in my heart that mother is a figure never be overwhelmed by lives. Diane, a widowed mother of Steve who has ADHD, fully expresses her frustration, fear and joyfulness in front of his son instead of being a restrained and well-mannered mother. She disdainfully signs the contract and take Steve from the hospital; she cries for losing the job, willing to be comforted by her son; she dances with his son in romantic ambient; she rides bike and laughs like a child under the sunshine. The 1:1 screen ratio expands twice in the film: Steve pushes the edges for the first time, skating, stretching, full of vigor; The second time appears in the dream of Diane, like a dime candle trembling in the inky world. Steve, indeed, represents hope and youth in the film, but he is too brittle to experience the bitterness. He gets mad, escapes and commits suicide. On the contrary, Diane seems like the dark side. While just like the ending of the film, she swallows all the suffering that life gives her yet never loses hope to a bright future with his son.

Another thing that impressed me is the balanced relationship among Diane, Steve and Kyla. The close-ups of them fill the screen twice throughout the film, each with slow motion and classical music. The first time is Steve taking a selfie with Diane and Kyla, laughing like teenage-friends. At that time, the triangle relationship seems so solid and perfect that everybody believes all the troubles in lives can be solved. The second time appears when Diane and Kyla struggle to drag Steve, just cutting his wrist, to the hospital. The somber music immerses the three people like a curse to the future. They tried, seemingly succeed, wandered, struggled and eventually separate. The triangle crashed, but the time they spend together and the barriers they overcome will live in the deep of their hearts. They convince each other that hope once appeared, like shining stars at midnight.