Director
Jason Reitman
(JUNO, UP IN THE AIR, THANK YOU FOR SMOKING)

Stars
Charlize Theron, Ron Livingston, Mackenzie Davis and Mark Duplass

Working together for a third time in comedy/drama TULLY, writer Diablo Cody and director Jason Reitman are best known for their stand-out movie from 2007, JUNO. Here, the writing and directing duo team up for a second time with star Charlize Theron (after the 2011 under-rated comedy/drama YOUNG ADULT), who gained fifty pounds to play Marlo, a married mother of two who is heavily pregnant with her and husband Drew’s (Ron Livingston) third child. Marlo isn’t exactly ecstatic by the impending arrival, partially due to exhaustion and other reasons that will become evident while watching the film. During dinner one evening, Marlo’s brother Craig (Mark Duplass) recommends a night nanny to his sister that he and his wife previously hired. Not too long after the birth of her third child, Marlo employs the young, spirited and rather unorthodox Tully (Mackenzie Davis), which springs some surprising outcomes.

Though I can’t necessarily speak from experience, I am confident that the depiction of motherhood in TULLY is nothing short of being utterly realistic and downright truthful. This outstanding characteristic is written straight from the personal experiences of Diablo Cody and is one that parents, particularly mothers, will easily identify with. While TULLY absolutely nails this key aspect of the story, the screenplay does a fine job of raising further matters of importance derived from the central plot, but isn’t able to follow them through to a satisfactory level. In its defence, these separate, yet connected issues aren’t the focus of this comedy/drama. Nonetheless, those viewers who will resonate with what is developed by TULLY’s script deserved more practical solutions and less dismissive treatment of these matters than what is demonstrated. Despite this moderate blemish, the dialogue constantly features a number of sharp and hilarious lines that are custom-built to be expelled from the mouth of an excellent Charlize Theron. She shares great chemistry and some truly heartfelt moments with co-star Mackenzie Davis, who’s equally as good.

With plenty of laughter and substance, TULLY is a worthwhile contributor to one of my personal favourite genres of film.

3 ½ stars

Viewer Discretion
M (Mature themes, coarse language and sex)

Trailer
TULLY

Moviedoc thanks Studiocanal and Asha Holmes Publicity for the invite to the screening of this film

Review by Leigh for Moviedoc
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