THE GOOD MOTHER

US, 2023, 90 minutes, Colour.

Hilary Swank, Olivia Cooke, Jack Reynor, Dilone, Norm Lewis, Madison Harrison, Hopper Penn, Karen Aldridge.

Directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte.

The Good Mother is a brief drama, set in Albany, the city not usually seen in American movies but here an impression of the vistas of the city, the buildings, the freeways, the neighbourhoods.

The title refers to Marissa, played by Hilary Swank, a journalist who has suffered the death of her husband, grief and drink. At the opening, we see the killing of a man jogging in the streets, the news coming to Marissa from her policeman son, Toby (Jack Reynor). At the funeral, she is very hostile to her son’s girlfriend, hitting her, but then apologising – and a bond growing up between the two women. Which means that the title could refer to the young woman, Paige, played by Olivia Cooke. Interestingly, Jack Reynor and Olivia Cooke are both British.

The women decide to follow some leads to see who was responsible for the killing, the dead son being an addict and dealer – though Paige asserts that they were off the drugs.

There is a strong sequence where Paige and Marissa go to a group discussion – and a highlight is a speech given by Karen Aldridge as Laurie, the children, addicts, their deaths.

There is a further complications, Paige discovering some drugs in her old house, Marissa pursuing her sons collaborator and his attacking her, aged Marissa interviewing a witness to the death and getting some clues, Paige with the phone number of the contact who set up the killing.

The narrative the film does not develop as we might have liked, harsh complications, harsh challenges some violence and sadness.

Which means that the screenplay combines familiar material but some unexpected plot developments.

1. The title? True, ironic? For Marissa, for Paige, for the grandchild?
2. The city of Albany, the views of the city, streets, buildings, freeways, homes, dangerous neighbourhoods, press office, trains, the railyard? The musical score?
3. The opening, tension, the runner, the pursuing lights, his death? The transition to Marissa, waking up, her drinking, going to the office, Toby coming with the news, her grief?
4. The background stories, the discussions and memories, the videos of Michael playing baseball, a good little boy, his talent, his shoulder injury, the drugs? Addicted, dealing? The long friendship with Ducky? Toby and his ambitions, the older brother, becoming a policeman? Marissa and the death of her husband, her grief, her drinking, going to group discussions? Toby and his advice, playing pool with her, urging him not to drink?
5. The funeral, Marissa’s grief, Paige present, Marissa and the attack, hitting her, the apology, their being together? Her dislike of Paige, Paige and her love for Michael, pregnant? The past friendship with Ducky, addictions in dealing, changing? Michael and his phone message, a change, buying a house? This leading to the bonding between Paige and Marissa, and the friendship with Gina, her pregnancy?
6. Marissa, going to back to work, her skill in writing, the editor urging her to write? With Paige, going to the meeting? Laurie and the cameo of her speech to the group, key revelation about feelings, children, addiction, care of children, taking Marissa to the safe injections centre? Her seeing Ducky, chasing him, his hitting her? Coming home, telling Toby, his saying he would handle it?
7. When did audiences become suspicious of Toby? Performance, body language, facial expressions? Suspicious?
8. Paige, going to the old house, finding the suitcase, the drugs? And the explanation of the drugs, femme fatale and cocaine? Causing deaths? Her escaping after the pursuit? Going to see Ducky, dead? Hiding the drugs in Marissa’s house? Marissa discovering them?
9. Taking refuge in Toby’s house, with Ducky’s phone, the mysterious call that lured Michael to his death? The information about the tower to underhand, the driver? Marissa and Paige visiting the old man who witnessed the episode?
10. Ringing the phone, Toby’s phone ringing, going to the basement, Toby confronting her, her fall, to the hospital, the birth, her death? Marissa taking the baby?
11. Marissa, suspicions of Toby, following him in the car, the train, the drugs to the man with a tattooed on the hand?
12. Marissa and her care of the baby, starting to write the story, giving it to the editor?
13. The open end, the document, the cigarette and her never lighting up, lighting up the lighter – to smoke or to burn the manuscript? The audience to decide what she would do, what they would do?