By Emilio Frenk.
Director: Jason Reitman
Cast: Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Mark Duplass, Ron Livingston, Elaine Tan, Asher Miles Fallica, Maddie Dixon-Poirier and Gameela Wright.
Rating: Excellent.
Academy Award Nominee Jason Reitman reunites with Academy Award Winners Diablo Cody and Charlize Theron in “Tully” a comedy/drama that I was very pleased with it.
The movie centers in Marlo (Charlize Theron) a struggling mother of two who is expecting a third child with her husband Drew (Ron Livingston).
One night at a dinner party with Marlo´s brother Craig (Mark Duplass) offers the recommendation of a night nanny who could help Marlo with her baby once is born so she can get more sleep.
At the beginning Marlo is hesitant of this idea, but once the baby is born she ends accepting her brother´s offer and will meet Tully (Mackenzie Davis). Marlo will not only develop a close relationship with Tully but it will lead her to a journey of self discovery that will change her life forever.
The thing that I liked more about “Tully” is the originality of the story and the fact how Diablo cody with her screenplay combined the two genres of comedy and drama, which she is a master in doing this. She has done it in “Juno” where she won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay in 2007 and in “Young Adult”, both of them directed by Jason Reitman.
Jason Reitman´s directing is very good and I love the way he captured the struggles and conflicts in the main characters. This movie I can tell that it has Reitman´s trademark since he likes in all his films to show all his characters in their most vulnerable and that´s why he is one of the best directors in this industry to capture this.
The opening scene where Charlize Theron´s character is doing a therapy with his son is very well shot and I loved how both Jason Reitman and Cinematographer Eric Steelberg captured that movie with both their direction and cinematography.
The chemistry between Charlize Theron and Mackenzie Davis is outstanding and it´s what it makes this film. The message of friendship and self discovery is true and powerful in a way that makes this film very original.
Another factor that took me by surprise in “Tully” was one of big twist that happens in the third act of the film. It was something that I didn´t see coming and it really worked.
The only thing that I was not a big fan of the film was the dream sequences that happen during the film. At the beginning I didn´t understand why they had to be there but once you are watching the film you get the point of this sequences, which sometimes is a bad habit that writers put in their films and they have no meaning.
It´s good to see a Jason Reitman film after his four absence after “Men, Women and Children” and hopefully we can see more films from him soon.
Charlize Theron again gives a wonderful performance, so as Mackenzie Davis in this film that has a sweet and touching message.
"Tully” is one of the best films of this year, I highly recommend it for the originality of the story, Jason Reitman´s direction and performances.