Mommy

"Mommy" is set in a fictional near-future Canada where a controversial law, S-14, allows parents to institutionalize their troubled children. The film follows Diane "Die" Després, a resilient, forty-something widow, as she takes custody of her 15-year-old son, Steve, who has ADHD and violent behavioral issues. Steve has just been discharged from an institution for setting a fire that injured another youth.

Die struggles to manage Steve's explosive temperament and rebuild their lives on a tight budget. Their volatile, co-dependent relationship, swinging between fierce affection and violent conflict, forms the heart of the film. A glimmer of hope appears when Kyla, their shy, stuttering neighbor and a former teacher on sabbatical, enters their lives. She begins to homeschool Steve, and the three form an unlikely, supportive family unit, finding a fragile stability and moments of pure joy together.

The core meaning of "Mommy" revolves around the fierce, unconditional, and often destructive nature of maternal love. Director Xavier Dolan explores the idea that love, in its purest and most intense form, is not always enough to save someone. The film poses a powerful question about the limits of a parent's responsibility and the crushing weight of societal failure to support those with mental health challenges. It's a tale of hope, freedom, and familial strength battling against a world that has no place for people like Steve, ultimately suggesting that some bonds are so intense they become both a sanctuary and a prison.

While the film's narrative is largely straightforward, the ending allows for some ambiguity and alternative interpretations.

The Final Scene: Suicide or Escape?
The most debated element is Steve's final action. As attendants rush toward him, he runs and leaps toward a window. The screen cuts to black before his fate is shown, accompanied by Lana Del Rey's "Born to Die." One interpretation is that this is a definitive act of suicide—a final, tragic bid for freedom from a life of confinement and mental anguish. Another reading suggests it is simply an escape attempt, consistent with his impulsive and defiant character. In this view, the outcome is irrelevant; the act itself is what matters—a final, desperate assertion of his will to be free, whether in life or death. The choice of song heavily implies a fatalistic conclusion, suggesting that no matter the outcome of the jump, his life was destined for a tragic end.

Kyla's Backstory
The film intentionally leaves Kyla's past mysterious. A common interpretation among viewers is that her trauma and stutter stem from the loss of her own son. This would explain her immediate, powerful connection to Steve and her empathy for Die's struggle. Her eventual departure, while necessary for her own family, could then be seen as an act of self-preservation, unable to endure the pain of losing another child figure.

"Mommy" was met with widespread critical acclaim upon its release, solidifying Xavier Dolan's reputation as a major international filmmaker at the young age of 25. It received a lengthy standing ovation and the Jury Prize at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, a significant honor. The film was praised for its raw emotional power, powerhouse performances by its three leads, and its bold, innovative visual style—particularly the use of the 1:1 aspect ratio. Critics celebrated it as a more mature work than Dolan's previous films, taking the recurring theme of the mother-son relationship from his debut "I Killed My Mother" and exploring it from the mother's perspective with greater depth.

Audiences responded strongly to the film's emotional intensity, with many viewers and critics citing the aspect ratio shift during the "Wonderwall" scene as a moment of pure cinematic euphoria. The film became a box office success, especially in Quebec and France, proving that artistically challenging cinema could find a wide audience. While it did not secure an Oscar nomination, it won numerous other accolades, including nine Canadian Screen Awards and a César Award for Best Foreign Film. "Mommy" is often cited as one of the best films of its year and a landmark in modern Canadian cinema, known for its unflinching emotional honesty and stylistic bravado.

Audience reception for "Mommy" was largely positive, though often polarized by its intense emotional style. Many viewers praised the film as a masterpiece, hailing its raw power, authenticity, and the breathtaking performances of the lead actors, particularly Anne Dorval and Antoine Olivier Pilon. The innovative use of the 1:1 aspect ratio was a major point of discussion, with most audiences finding it to be an effective tool for creating intimacy and claustrophobia. The moment the screen widens during the "Wonderwall" sequence was frequently cited as a highlight, earning gasps and applause in theaters.

Points of criticism often centered on the film's relentless intensity and what some perceived as melodrama. The constant shouting and emotional volatility were overwhelming for some viewers. The film's 139-minute runtime was also seen as lengthy by some. Despite these criticisms, the overall verdict from audiences was that "Mommy" is a profoundly moving, unforgettable, and visually stunning cinematic experience that provokes a strong emotional response.