Who would have thought that making a dress could be more stressful than studying for finals? “Mother Mary,” A24’s newest feature film, just hit theaters, and let’s just say it was more confusing than an organic chemistry exam.
Pop star Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) seeks out her old costume designer, Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel), to design a dress for her upcoming concert. The duo wade through past tensions and relive traumas creating the new piece.
This may go down as the most confusing movie of the year. However, it gives the audience a lot to chew on. Symbolism is this film’s game, and solving the puzzle feels really engaging.
Director David Lowery puts the audience in Anselm’s house for the majority of the film, and even though we’re sat in almost the same setting the whole time, this film looks anything but redundant.
Although the dialogue may feel too poetic at times and maybe a bit unnatural, it is still interesting to listen to. Hathaway and Coel’s performances truly complement one another, making for this tight tension you can feel in your chest.
The highlights of this movie were Lowery’s script, narrative and mystery. Although one may argue this film to be pretentious, I think it gives an interesting commentary on friendship, mental health and popular culture.
It’s worth a watch. A24 is on a roll this year, and staying in the loop is obviously more important than finals.
Mother Mary released to theaters on April 17, 2026. Picture courtesy of When To Stream.