Rating: 4/5
Monica (Trace Lysette) goes home to care for her estranged mother (Patricia Clarkson), who is dying. Her mother doesn’t recognize her since Monica has transitioned since they last saw each other — when her mother dropped her off at the bus station and said they would never see each other again
As her mother’s situation deteriorates, she finds herself playing the role of mother that her mother never granted her. Her brother (Joshua Close) and his wife (Emily Browning) are having issues, so she has to hear her mother say things like, “Whatever you’re going through, it’s not important. Think of your kids. Family is the most important thing.”
Both Trace Lysette and Patricia Clarkson give deeply vulnerable performances. They evade melodrama, communicating through the eyes, letting themselves express the weakness of dealing with all that you cannot control about your body
The film is predominantly static shots, often centering the lead. Shot in standard format, the reduced frame helps keep the movie feeling small and focused
As has become common in indie films, the movie has no non-diegetic music, but there are some bangers throughout, including an earnest “Numa Numa” that miraculously works
Overall, the movie is a quiet, lovely portrait that finds beauty in the small details