Tully by Diablo Cody

Tully by Diablo Cody

Knowing that raising one child is hard, one can surely understand that having three can be more than burden, it can become overwhelming, especially if one of the children has special needs, as is the case in this challenging motion picture that has received very good reviews.

Given that it relies mostly on the solid performance of Charlize Theron, it might well be expected that she would receive yet another nod for the Academy Awards, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and the other prizes that are worthwhile.

Furthermore, audiences and critics could well be reminded by Marlo aka Charlize Theron of Monster, for which the artist was recompensed with the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, the Golden Globe and other prizes in the same category.

In addition, the more recent Imperator Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road could come to mind, given the forceful, determined, brave, strong, resilient, intelligent, gritty and superior character from that movie, which has so much in common with Marlo, although the latter is supposed to be an “ordinary woman”.

Marlo has two children, Emmy, who is eight – “the age at which she starts being hard on herself” according to her mother – and Jonah, who is a boy with special needs and whose demeanor presents his mother with some challenges.

Apparently, Marlo’s affluent brother – in money terms, although positive psychology suggests it is better to be time affluent and maybe desirable to be both – has put on a good word and Jonah has been accepted at the educational establishment where he is enrolled.

However, when talking to a representative, in the first instance Marlo is told that it is suggested – if not required – to have one aid to support the progress of the boy and then later there is more and a conflict on the status of the child ensues, given his reactions in various circumstances…

At one point, his mother is outside, while Jonah is supposed to use the toilet, in a public place – the would be next school in fact – but he is more than reluctant, scared as he is to get inside, where he starts screaming because of the noise made by the water released in the bowl…

Luckily, in the new institution, the teachers and other staff are much better prepared to cope with different situations and the man they meet on the corridor adapts a yoga position, which he connects to a tree and then makes Jonah – and his mother – comfortable on the new premises.

Given the difficult task of caring for two small children and breast-feeding, waking up and constantly supervising, holding, swinging the infant, Craig offers a special gift to his sister, a night nanny, who would stay with the baby and only bring him to his or her mother when needed.

In the first instance, Marlo refuses the gift, saying that she feels it is awkward – maybe even inappropriate to have that sort of help – causing her sister-in-law to become somewhat upset at the thought that this is a judgment on what they did – because Craig and Elise also have three children and they have used the same system they now promote.

When the heroine gives birth to a baby girl, Maya, it becomes ever more evident that to care for three children is one of the most difficult enterprises in the world, her body is gaining weight, she appears to be continuously exhausted – indeed, at a later stage, a doctor says that she seems to be worn out.

After seeing supervisors and learning about the difficulties they have with Jonah, Marlo takes Maya to the car, aggravated as she is from the conflictual discussion and clash of opinions, but the baby is continuously crying at the top of her voice, causing the public

Pain, never mind the parent

Under this torment, the protagonist understands that there is but one small step to the edge; she might or would collapse and have a total breakdown if nothing is done about the intolerable cruelty of the circumstances she lives in…

Hence, she calls the nanny, who comes in the shape and form of Tully – who gives the name to the film, given her paramount importance, in spite of her supporting character, when compared with Marlo- a handsome, intelligent, outré woman with extraordinary qualities.

If she was opposed to the idea in the beginning and looks with suspicion at the young girl who is to be trusted with her precious, vulnerable infant, the heroine becomes gradually dependent on this support, which does not come in the form of siting by her baby mainly.

Indeed, the supervision of the child appears to be the least of important of the ways this woman helps Marlo and Drew, he husband, for after she cleans, takes care of at least part of the house, allows the protagonist to get some sleep, Tully becomes her friend, analyst and Savior.

Maybe the latter qualification is an overstatement, but it feels that this apparition has had a life changing impact, given the talks they have, the opening of the hearts, the change in the look, attitude, perspective, optimism, freshness, approach to life of the mother who had seemed destined for a downfall – gradual or speedy – before the Angel of Mercy arrived.

To top it all, the two women go to a heavy rock concert, take a night out – granted, this has a more complex outcome, it is not really “positive”- and after they discuss intimate details, the sex, Tully dresses in an uniform which turns out to be Drew’s fantasy and…has sex with the husband, with the encouragement and benediction of the wife…