Pieces of a Woman (2020) - SPOILER-FREE Review
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Directed by: Kornél Mundruczó
Written by: Kata Wéber
Starring: Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Jimmie Fails, Ellen Burstyn
Runtime: 126 min
Synopsis: Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) are a Boston couple on the verge of parenthood whose lives change irrevocably when a home birth ends in unimaginable tragedy. Thus begins a yearlong odyssey for Martha, who must navigate her grief while working through fractious relationships with Sean and her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn), along with the publicly vilified midwife (Molly Parker), whom she must face in court.
I’ve never seen a movie from Kornél Mundruczó, but Pieces of a Woman started getting the usual awards buzz that comes with this time of the year. Once Netflix grabbed the distribution rights, it was just a matter of time until I got the chance to watch yet another Oscar-bait. I didn’t really think about it nor created any sort of expectations besides hoping it would be good. Vanessa Kirby (Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Hobbs & Shaw) and Shia LaBeouf (Honey Boy) are the protagonists of a story that will connect with many people around the world, especially couples who went through the same situation. I’ll write it straight away: it’s undoubtedly one of the best films I’ve seen this past year.
How does it stand in comparison with the other marvelous movies? I’ll have to think about it when organizing my Top10, but Pieces of a Woman possesses the best opening act I’ve seen in quite a long time. For thirty full minutes (even before the title card shows up), an entire birth scene is delivered through excruciatingly long, uninterrupted takes, which ultimately make the whole sequence feel like a phenomenal oner. Technically, the entire film is brilliantly directed by Mundruczó, who takes advantage of the superb cinematography from Benjamin Loeb and Howard Shore’s beautiful score to offer the viewer an emotionally powerful viewing experience.
As fantastic as the technical attributes may be, Kata Wéber’s exceptionally well-written, detailed screenplay is really elevated by the incredible cast, notably its leads. Without the shadow of a doubt, Vanessa Kirby gives her career-best performance, demonstrating an emotional range I genuinely believed she didn’t have. Martha’s arc ends up being a tad predictable and formulaic as some other characters’ arcs and portions of the narrative, but I never felt less invested in the story due to that. In fact, I can’t remember the last movie that brought tears to my eyes before the end of the first act, which serves as a statement of the film’s realism and authenticity.
Shia LaBeouf might have also delivered his best interpretation ever, even though I truly love a couple of his past displays. Once again, the actor brings his A-game, demonstrating the talented acting skills that make him one of the most underrated actors working today, in my opinion. A particular aspect of Sean’s arc left me a bit dubious of its necessity and/or importance to the narrative, but just like Kirby’s character, I was always interested in their path. Molly Parker is also excellent as the midwife involved in the tragedy, while Ellen Burstyn portrays Martha’s mother, Elizabeth, leaving me deeply surprised by her outstanding performance. 88 years old… Magnificent.
Despite the highly expected developments and respective conclusions, the ending shares a touching revelation involving a particular trait from Kirby’s character that hit me really hard. The best aspect of the entire movie has a negative side effect, though. After such a mesmerizing, powerful, shocking first act, the rest of the film never quite reaches the same level of investment and immersiveness that the initial thirty minutes are packed with. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a remarkably captivating narrative, filled with significant messages of forgiveness, acceptance, fairness, and another take on the “moving on” matter.
It will be extremely hard to watch for many people, but it’s that realistic environment that left me speechless and surprisingly emotional right from the get-go. It might not be a movie that I’ll rewatch countless times or even recommend to every single reader. Nevertheless, Pieces of a Woman carries an undeniably impactful story that tons of viewers will share a deep connection with, which every filmmaker tries hard to accomplish. Ultimately, concerning my Top10, it will come down to how much I value its immense quality vs. its low replay value.
Final Thoughts
All in all, Pieces of a Woman becomes a worthy awards contender, holding one of the best opening acts of the last few years. With astonishing direction from Kornél Mundruczó, the first thirty minutes are packed with extreme levels of anxiety and stress due to the emotionally shocking birth sequence, which is played out through excruciatingly long takes. Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf deliver their career-best performances, handling extensive monologues effortlessly, but it’s the former who leaves me mind-blowed at her emotional range, which induced tears in my eyes even before the title card. Kata Wéber’s exceptional screenplay is brought to life in a remarkably authentic, immersive manner, leaving me incredibly captivated by its characters, despite the formulaic and predictable arcs. Huge praise to Howard Shore’s wonderful score, and Benjamin Loeb’s terrific camera work, as well as Molly Parker and Ellen Burstyn’s excellent displays. I highly recommend it to anyone who’d love to watch an emotionally investing story with phenomenal acting but be advised: it can extremely hard to watch at times.
