Film Review: J'ai Tue Ma Mere

Ah. He forgot to put the toilet seat up, again.

J'ai Tue Ma Mere (2009)

Overall Score: 83%

Certified: Black Swan    

Score Breakdown:

Performance: 85%   Plot: 75%   Script: 80%   Visuals: 95%   Music: 80%

J'ai Tue Ma Mere (2009)

Director: Xavier Dolan

Writer(s): Xavier Dolan

Producer(s): Xavier Dolan (producer), 

Carole Mondello (executive producer), 

Daniel Morin (associate producer)

Distributor(s): K-Films Amérique (Québec), Rezo Films (International)
Country: Canada

Language: French

Starring: Xavier Dolan, Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément, François Arnaud, Patricia Tulasne, Monique Spaziani, Niels Schneider

Studio(s): Mifilifilms

MPAA Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 96 Minutes

For me, Xavier Dolan is one of a substantial breakthrough in the entertainment business. He is 22-years old, and was only 20 years old when directing/producing/writing/performing for this movie. J'ai Tue Ma Mere (French for I Killed My Mother), a French-Canadian movie is his first debut in the movie world. It is inspired by his true events and stories, that makes this drama, semi-autobiographical. 

Hubert Minel (Xavier Dolan) becomes obsessed with the dysfunctional relationship between him and his mother (Anne Dorval). Everything seems wrong with his mother; her tacky outfits, kitsch decorations, how food always stuck in her mother's mouth whenever she eats. He loves his mother, but also really really loathes here. Not only the little things that drives him insane, both his parents have the power of manipulation and guilt that seems like punishment and the psychological torment is becoming too much for Hubert. Hubert, seeks comfort in his boyfriend, Antonin (François Arnaud) and his teacher (Patricia Tulasne) but that does not keep things from being complicated.

Watching this movie, it feels like I am taken for a roller coaster ride. This love-hate thing is not a television material, it's reality and it's very youthful. I get the message, how going through puberty may risk our relationship and everything seems confusing especially how Hubert is a gay teen. One of the things I learned from high school, from my and my friends' experiences, that everything may get very absurd and blurry. It will feel confusing when you like someone, from the opposite to the same sex. In high school, everything is contained and it may get very hard to open up and be yourself, be free, knowing that you may get hurt and lost the ones you love. This movie is a great example of a coming-of-age and coming-out story.

The acting and performance is terrific, like most movies that we reviewed here on Ugly Duckling. So I am not going to talk more about that. What I really love about the movie is the theme, and how it is presented. Hubert's story is an adolescence adventure. An adventure that threatens him to consume his family, his artistic discovery, early sexual experimentation, illicit experiences, friendship and opening up. The visuals and the music mirrored one another.I find the music and the visuals always match, and leaves me gasping for air, especially the last scenes that involves a young Hubert, his mother and a small villa by the sea. I also find that the movie is filled with small details that creates a big influence. 

Take one for example, the living room with the decorations, or how the walls in Hubert's room is like. Or when the screen shows pictures of butterflies or angles ornaments. Also, I see that whenever there's an important talk, or at dinner, or at the car, the camera stays put and does not move. It creates tension and the background, the setting starts to surfaces to the screen and how it blooms and shows itself. This movie gives a stunning presentation of its story and themes, with a very in-depth and hard-core references and influences from classic French literatures and arts that's so deep but still simple enough to understand.

This stunning movie was directed by a 20-years-old Xavier Dolan and is based on his experiences, where he is also gay in real life. Xavier got his own style. It's very endearing how this movie is like Xavier's own child as the movie is him. It's about him and I love that he really shows so much authentic love for his work, so genuine, and take so much care and seriousness when making this movie. Very much alike with (500) Days of Summer (2009), this movie is very honest and open and free about anything. But it also goes against it, where in (500) Days of Summer we find it comical and bubbly, but here we found teen angst and troubled relationships. The turbulent paradox relationship between the mother and son all unfold, with a perfect, compelling combination of savage fury and melting affections that both may bring out your tears.

+R