Review: Mother Mary

19 June, 2026 William Eguizabal 0 Comments 2 categories

Title: Mother Mary
MPA Rating: R
Director: David Lowery
Starring: Anne Hathaway, Michaela Coel, Hunter Schafer
Runtime: 1 hr 51 mins

What It Is: Mother Mary (Hathaway) is an iconic pop star, notorious for her ornate halos. When she begins dealing with something she’s not certain how to deal with she goes to a place she never thought she’d be back at, but feels comfort in. The home of her former best friend, fashion designer Sam Anselm (Coel). Using the guise of needing a dress she believes only Sam can make, Mother Mary tells the tale of what’s been happening as the two of them regrow ever closer to one another again.

What We Think: David Lowery continues to astonish. His understanding of color and pairing of it with character absolutely shines here. Hathaway is beautifully precise in her turn here as the popster with issues and Michaela Coel brings a bitter confidence to Sam that works so well given the character’s arc and history. I love the subtlety in the storytelling that Lowery uses. Keeping us guessing throughout the neatly packed runtime. My biggest gripe is that there always seems to be one scene that’s a little overlong and will inevitably divide cinema-goers. This time it’s a really silly and out of place dance rehearsal. While it may be the weakest part of the film Lowery makes up for this stupidly placed injustice with an entire film that feels exactly as it should.

Our Grade: A-, It is not without fault. Let me be crystal clear on that. Where it succeeds is where Lowery often does. A beautiful looking film, gorgeous colors all flow with a mysterious and somewhat enigmatic main character. I love the slow dive into Mother Mary’s life that we get. Meanwhile the exploration done on her relationships, particularly the one with Sam, is some of the most direct and interesting stuff Lowery’s done.