Two children can be a handful to deal with, especially when the parents each work a full-time job. Three children is significantly more difficult. Marlo (Charlize Theron) and Drew (Ron Livingston) are about to have their third child and are feeling overwhelmed with the labors of what is about to come. As the world appears to have its foot on their necks, making them numb to the joys of life, they receive a bit of advice (and potential help) from Marlo’s brother Craig (Mark Duplass). Craig opens their eyes to the potential use of a “night nanny” or someone that stays with the family throughout the night and allows the parents of a newborn to get some much needed rest. While skeptical at first, Marlo and Drew decide that this might be the saving grace that they need. This is where Tully (Mackenzie Davis) comes into play. Tully is the young, attractive and incredibly eccentric nanny who is here to save the day. But as Tully works hard to lift up the struggling Marlo, life has a way of pushing back and keeping the stress quite real and intense. It is now up to the duo of Tully and Marlo to fight back and attempt to overcome the difficulties of the world.
Charlize Theron, in many ways, is a chameleon that takes on the shape and personality of every role she accepts. From roles in the Fast & Furious franchise, Atomic Blonde and Monster she has solidified herself as one of the more talented actors in Hollywood. Each of these roles, however, find Theron being vibrant and energetic, but Tully sees Theron as this overwhelmed, unapologetic and bogged-down mother with little opportunity to express herself with any sort of vigor. She is tasked with bringing to life this almost lifeless mother, and while this seems like an impossible assignment, Theron shines brightly through the dull exterior of monotony. It’s hard to compare her ass-kicking rebel roles to that of Marlo, but it feels like Theron has found a role that compliments her better than the rest.
Like Marlo’s life there is this constant, nagging vision of drowning strewn throughout the film. The metaphor is clear at first, but, as this dream becomes a reality, what viewers have determined to be true about Marlo and Tully come into question. The reality of everything that takes place throughout the film is now looked at in a different light, and viewers see multiple sides of Marlo’s difficult existence. As these visuals continue to pop up throughout Tully, viewers are drawn deeper into metaphors of depression, mental illness and parenting. The neverending struggles of life make their way front and center and refuse to relent as they remind viewers that even when things are difficult, there is always a silver lining.
Knowing what I know now about the film, the cinematography is expertly executed. Director of photography Eric Steelberg captures conversations between Tully and Marlo with great precision and is able to, without viewers even knowing, allude to revelations that have not yet been realized. The brilliance of what Steelberg is able to accomplish throughout Tully is impressive and essential to the appreciation of the film.
The combination of what Steelberg, Theron, Davis, director Jason Reitman and writer Diablo Cody are able to accomplish throughout Tully creates a fictional but realistic world that viewers are able to easily identify with. While the extremes that are gone to throughout the film can be difficult to fully appreciate, viewers can find some semblance of peace when understanding that nearly everyone experiences displeasure with their lives, but that there is a silver lining present in even the darkest situations. Through simplistic visuals and enticing metaphors Tully engulfs audiences in a world not unlike their own, providing meaning in a sometimes meaningless world.
Directed by Jason Reitman. Written by Diablo Cody. Starring Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis, Ron Livingston, Asher Miles Fallica, Lia Frankland, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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