The entire first 30 minutes is comprised of watching a home birth in an extended long take, which doesn't so much immerse you in the situation as beg the question of, "How'd they do that?" Your AMC Ticket Confirmation# can be found in your order confirmation email. It's powerfully delivered by White God director Kornél Mundruczó in his depiction of a home birth that captures the intensity of such an experience. The choice to use a single take stemmed from the play on which the film is based, which featured a live video feed captured by a camera freely roaming the stage as part of the performance. Vanessa Kirby (The Crown) plays the mother and she doesn't want to let go but also feels uncomfortable that their flustered midwife is being charged with negligent homicide. I don't really have much to add to what's been said before. Cinemark It's purposely slow-moving, cold to the touch, and unflinching. Pieces of a Woman will be available on Netflix streaming starting tomorrow and despite its artistic merits and good acting I can't exactly argue that it's worth enduring the pain over. | Rating: A R (Language|Graphic Nudity|Brief Drug Use|Sexual Content), Bron Studios, Please enter your email address and we will email you a new password. [12], Principal photography began on December 3, 2019 in Montreal, Canada, and lasted until the end of January 2020. What's even more difficult to understand is how people can and why they try to force how they believe others should deal with traumas they haven't experienced in the way they believe is appropriate. [11] Howard Shore composed the film's score. Rated R (language, sexual content, graphic nudity and brief drug use). |, April 14, 2021 [8] In December 2019, Jimmie Fails, Ellen Burstyn, Molly Parker and Iliza Shlesinger joined the cast of the film. Martha goes into labor at their home and Sean calls their midwife Barbara; she is unavailable and sends another midwife named Eva in her place. Pieces of a Woman Awards and Nominations. Set over eight harrowing months, “Pieces of a Woman” is a ragged, mesmerizing study of rupture and reconstruction. But it feels a little schooled, a little staged, like a workshop at the Actors' Studio; this impression isn't helped by the over-insistent score, which drops like a lead weight after each full-throated exchange. [9][10] In January 2020, Sarah Snook and Benny Safdie joined the cast of the film. They won't be able to see your review if you only submit your rating. This is a devastating human drama with a trio of superb performances from Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker and Ellen Burstyn but the film belongs to Vanessa Kirby who really shines with her disassociated depiction of a grieving woman struggling to maintain a grip on her emotions. Martha calls her name, Lucy, then helps her down. "[25], Writing for Variety, Peter Debruge said, "But this is ultimately Kirby's movie, as the stage marvel (better known to audiences for her work on The Crown) delivers her most impressive screen performance to date—not just the remarkable commitment of that childbirth scene, but the way she navigates the character's uncertainty for the rest of the movie. NOTE: This spoiler was submitted by Alex. To prolong the drama, her family is hellbent on sending the midwife, Eva (Molly Parker), to jail for neglect and manslaughter after the botched birth. The birth scene is heart wrenching. |, January 14, 2021 Shia Lebouf's performance was so excellent I kept wanting to slap myself in the face reminding myself that he's a complete asshole. I can only assume it's because the pace dramatically reduces from then on in which really wasn't an issue for me. With Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Iliza Shlesinger. Just leave us a message here and we will work on getting you verified. Before shooting, one practice run was taken; filmed on Loeb's phone, the practice took 38 minutes. Vanessa Kirby and Ellen Burstyn make it worth the trip. It's excessive and repetitive, but then so are the 90 minutes that follow that wallow in unchecked misery. This plotting is largely put in place due to LaBeouf's Sean and Martha's mother, Elizabeth (Ellen Burstyn), craving some kind of justice which introduces the family lawyer into the mix as played by Sarah Snook. |, January 15, 2021 Please reference “Error Code 2121” when contacting customer service. Pisces women love art-making, design, and anything that gives them the opportunity to play with glamour, color, and whimsy. ‘Pieces of a Woman’ is an acting showcase, but not much of a movie Vanessa Kirby, right, and Molly Parker in “Pieces of a Woman.” (Benjamin Loeb/Netflix) By Oscar 2021, ‘Pieces of a woman’, la forza della disperazione – Meteoweek ‘Pieces of a woman’ è l’elaborazione di una tragica perdita vissuta da una giovane ragazza ebrea dell’ Upper Class di Boston. Directed by Kornél Mundruczó. The two go inside together. Pieces of a Woman is a 2020 Canadian-American drama film directed by Kornél Mundruczó, from a screenplay by Kata Wéber. The acting is phenomenal. It's evident in Burstyn's dramatic monologue (which she will undoubtedly win awards for) she only wants what is best for her daughter and to see her daughter come out of this life-altering event with as few scars as possible, but the fact of the matter is that this is a life-altering event and Elizabeth seems unable to accept the fact she couldn't shield her daughter from such pain. *CUT TO THE CHASE*. Their first baby is due any minute, but when the time comes, things don’t go according to plan. It's a lone journey, but an ensemble loss and the film enlightens the viewer to these multiple perspectives and not only these different reactions to this same experience, but how it impacts these different people in completely different ways. Yes, the movie will destroy you. Overall it felt like a jigsaw puzzle that was half completed. In October 2019, it was announced Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf had joined the cast of the film, with Kornél Mundruczó directing from a screenplay by his partner Kata Wéber. The first act turns on her extended labor -- a long, sweaty action sequence as breathless as any in The Bourne Identity. Forgot your password? Its effortful grandiosity transforms it into something hollow and even, at times, risible. A month later, Martha scatters her daughter's ashes into the river from the bridge that Sean helped to build. Powered by JustWatch. The film begins on the fateful day of September 17th and moves spontaneously to different days over the course of the following months as a legal case is mounted against the midwife (Molly Parker) present on the night of the birth. Netflix’s Pieces of a Woman probably needs a trigger warning for women experiencing even the tiniest bit of anxiety over their pregnancy. [4] It was released in select theaters on December 30, 2020, before beginning to digitally stream on Netflix on January 7, 2021. Months later, Martha testifies at Eva's trial. She's one to watch. Coming Soon, Regal Sign up here. "[23] On Metacritic, it has a weighted average score of 66 out of 100, based on 40 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". More an acting exercise than a fully developed movie, Pieces of a Woman is a punishing experience for the audience as much as the actors onscreen. |, January 16, 2021 It stars Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Molly Parker, Sarah Snook, Iliza Shlesinger, Benny Safdie, Jimmie Fails and Ellen Burstyn. Sean resents Martha's mother Elizabeth, a wealthy Jewish woman and Holocaust survivor, who is buying them a minivan. You're almost there! It's all very well acted and Kirby does a fine job dredging up pure emotional devastation. Verified reviews are considered more trustworthy by fellow moviegoers. È stato presentato in concorso alla 77ª Mostra internazionale d'arte cinematografica di Venezia, durante la quale Vanessa Kirby è stata premiata con la Coppa Volpi per la migliore interpretazione femminile. Pieces of a Woman had its world premiere on September 4, 2020 at the 77th Venice International Film Festival, where Kirby won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress. Don’t worry, it won’t take long. At a tense family gathering at her home, Elizabeth tells Martha that she has to attend Eva's trial and blames Martha for her baby's death because she decided to have a home birth. Kirby's Oscar nomination is undoubtedly of the 'suffer for your award' variety. Pieces of a Woman review – Vanessa Kirby excels in outstanding study of grief. | Fresh (170) [6], Set within the couple's apartment, the scene was filmed in a real house. Mundruczó did not do another practice, telling Vulture that "if you are very choreographed, then the whole shot can be really cold and calculated, [and] when you don't fix anything, it [can] become a Dogme style of shaking camera. I think a major stumbling block was spending so much time establishing a realistic birthing sequence opening, aided by a roving and unblinking camera, when the same information could have been covered in the first ten minutes and not first 30. Martha drops Sean off at Logan International Airport and he leaves for Seattle. About six minutes in starts an unbroken take that lasts for more than 20 … [17] Shortly after, Netflix acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film. The website's critics consensus reads: "Pieces of a Woman struggles to maintain momentum after a stunning opening act, but Vanessa Kirby's performance makes the end result a poignant portrait of grief. This is naturally a rather isolating feeling, to suddenly lose this person you've been creating over the past nine months and both Wéber's screenplay and Kirby's performance genuinely capture the confusion and the helplessness of it all. But it does do a decent job of capturing the impulse to blame when joy is supplanted by tragedy and loss. A heartbreaking home birth leaves a woman grappling with the profound emotional fallout, isolated from her partner and family by a chasm of grief. Martha struggles with nausea and pain during contractions and, when she reaches ten centimetres, Eva realizes the baby's heart rate has dropped dangerously low. How do you deal with a loss that your body constantly reminds you was supposed to be a blessing? Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Mugen Train, Best Netflix Shows and Series To Binge (March 2021), The 100 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (March 2021), 100 Best Movies on Amazon Prime To Watch (March 2021). Just below that it reads "Ticket Confirmation#:" followed by a 10-digit number. Pieces of a Woman is a rather blunted depiction of an endlessly complex subject that deserves much more contemplation. Running time: 126 minutes. The relationship between Martha and Sean continues to be strained, as is Martha's relationship with her mother, who wants to bury the baby and have a funeral. It's an emotional film and a grim watch but it's superbly delivered by all involved. The most tense scene in … | Rating: 4/5 "[27], Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role, "Martin Scorsese Boards Venice, Toronto Title 'Pieces of a Woman' as Executive Producer", "Wenecja 2020 - Mundruczo i Weber: sztuka ma leczniczą moc", "Pieces of a Woman: Netflix drama starring Vanessa Kirby was inspired by real grief", "Pieces of a Woman Hinges on One Heaving, Tremendous Home Birth-Scene", "A legborzasztóbb dolog, ami egy anyával történhet", "Shia LaBeouf to Star in Drama 'Pieces of a Woman' (Exclusive)", "Exclusive: Jimmie Fails Joins Shia LaBeouf, Vanessa Kirby in 'Pieces of a Woman, "Iliza Shlesinger Joins 'Pieces Of A Woman'; Pooch Hall Cast In 'Cherry'; Halle Berry's 'Bruised' Adds Sheila Atim", "Howard Shore Scoring Kornél Mundruczó's Pieces of a Woman", "There's An Open Casting Call For A Montreal Baby To Be Shia LaBeouf's Child In A New Movie", "Shock, no awe: how grim drama Pieces of a Woman fails to portray trauma", "Venice Film Festival 2020: Competition Light On Studios, Strong On Global Arthouse & Women Directors – Full List", "Vanessa Kirby's Venice Winner 'Pieces of a Woman' Sells to Netflix in Worldwide Deal", "Toronto Sets 2020 Lineup: Werner Herzog, Regina King, Mira Nair, Francois Ozon, Naomi Kawase Titles Join Hybrid Edition", "Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf Grapple With Grief in Heart-Wrenching 'Pieces of a Woman' Trailer", "A Reduced-Price 'Tenet' and PVOD Debut 'Fatale' Stand Out in Home Viewing", "Pieces of a Woman review – agonised portrait of a splintering marriage", "2021 EE British Academy Film Awards: The Nominations", "Artios Awards Film Nominations: 'Borat', 'Da 5 Bloods', 'Chicago 7', 'One Night In Miami' & More Up For Casting Society Prizes", "Film nominees for the 26th annual Critics Choice Awards have been announced", "Golden Globes Nominations List of Nominees", "The 2020 San Diego Film Critics Society (SDFCS) Winners", "Santa Barbara Film Festival Awards: Zendaya, Maria Bakalova, Andra Day, Riz Ahmed Among Virtuosos Honorees", "25th Satellite Awards Nominees for Motion Pictures and Television Announced", "The 2020 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations", "The 2020 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award Nominations", "PIECES OF A WOMAN: Vanessa Kirby wins the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venezia 77 - claudia tomassini + associates", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pieces_of_a_Woman&oldid=1017602995, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 13 April 2021, at 17:56. The Pieces of a Woman director added that the filmmaking team went to great lengths to translate the 2018 play, which was performed in Poland by the artistic ensemble of … From the car you just bought to the child-like mannequins in the store windows to the room in your house that was meant to be theirs. After her testimony, the judge allows her to address the court, and she states that Eva is not at fault for the death and that she does not blame her. It seems paradoxical because the concept of a grieving family, angry and looking to blame someone, a relationship splintered where each party is potentially having an affair to feel something diverting, mother-daughter head-butting, it all seems like foundational elements of compelling drama. Oscars Best Picture Winners Best Picture Winners Golden Globes Emmys STARmeter Awards San Diego Comic-Con New York Comic-Con Sundance Film Festival Toronto Int'l Film Festival Awards Central Festival Central All Events [6] Wéber submitted the script to the Hungarian National Film Fund, but did not get support, later an American producer picked it up. It had large archways that allowed Loeb and the cast movement – Kirby was encouraged to make use of the space if she wanted to – except for the bathroom door; Mundruczó initially wanted to pass in and out of the bathroom three times but this was reduced to once to limit the possibility of the shot being ruined. Starring Vanessa Kirby and Shia LaBeouf, Kornél Mundruczo’s Pieces of a Woman is a tale about a woman’s unsurmountable grief after the loss of her newborn and the way in which she finds herself crumbling with the emotional weight of this trauma. The following month, Martha and Sean attend an appointment with a coroner; Sean is eager to find out what went wrong, while Martha is reluctant. He had chosen the house because it had the same layout as the set design of their play. [24], Xan Brooks of The Guardian gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing: "Viewed as an acting masterclass, the film is bruisingly impressive in its way. I understand movies such as this are made not only to reaffirm those that have experienced such tragedy and trauma that they are not alone as well as to be able to work through something incredibly personal. Martha ( Vanessa Kirby) and Sean ( Shia LaBeouf) are slowly drifting away, after their girl, Yvette, died seconds after being born. [20][21] Upon its digital release, it was the most-watched film over its first three days of release, and finished second overall in its debut weekend. Both Martha and Sean remain deeply depressed. The screenwriter, Kata Wéber, goes on to write several startling monologues for Burstyn's supporting performance. On Netflix. Pieces of a Woman, from Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó (White God) and writer Katá Weber (executive produced by Martin Scorsese, whatever that … Little Lamb, The simple sight of a young girl signaling Martha's (Vanessa Kirby) body to begin producing milk. Sean returns the car that Elizabeth bought for them. Pieces of a Woman. Eva then notices the baby is turning blue and attempts to revive her, but she goes into cardiac arrest and dies. An American-Canadian co-production, the film is directly related to Mundruczó and Wéber's 2018 stage play of the same name, performed by the artistic ensemble of TR Warszawa. Pieces of a Woman is a rather blunted depiction of an endlessly complex subject that deserves much more contemplation. |, March 2, 2021 In Kornél Mundruczó's Pieces of a Woman the show-stopper is the opening, prologue-like birth sequence that contains all the anxiety, excitement, and physicality of an actual birth; never letting the air out of the room for an unbroken twenty-three minute shot that builds to a moment of blissful promise and then immediate pain. We won’t be able to verify your ticket today, but it’s great to know for the future. Suzanne, who is also the attorney prosecuting Eva, informs him that a potential lawsuit against Eva could be very lucrative. Her boyfriend (Shia LaBeouf) is struggling to maintain their relationship and move past their shared tragedy. Copyright © Fandango. Everyone has to find their own truth and own way of dealing with loss and it's rather courageous to seek this path instead of trying square away your grief into a category. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your email. Losing a baby before or immediately after birth is a profound and deeply personal experience. There are no approved quotes yet for this movie. Pieces of a Woman is a pre-digested coming-to-consciousness tale in which a pampered young adult frees herself from the gendered definitions imposed upon her by others. All Critics (226) 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. But in my first year reviewing on Letterboxd, movies like this appear so consistently in the "Popular with Friends" feed I find myself drawn to them. [6], Richard Brody of The New Yorker described the scene as a "mere stunt", saying that it is emotionally empty until the last moments and its significance to the rest of the film is an "ultimately pointless symbolic function: as evidence. (CNN) The first half-hour of "Pieces of a Woman" is a brutal viewing … Overall rating: ‘Pieces of a Woman’ is a beautiful character-driven story that emotionally wrecked me. 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. [2] An American-Canadian co-production, the film is directly related to Mundruczó and Wéber's 2018 stage play of the same name, performed by the artistic ensemble of TR Warszawa.[3]. | Rating: 2.5/5 It's tough to watch, but if you're gonna settle in for it, please pay attention to Vanessa Kirby. By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy Just confirm how you got your ticket. Kirby also spent time shadowing midwives on a maternity ward to learn about the experience of childbirth, as she has not given birth herself. The percentage of Approved Tomatometer Critics who have given this movie a positive review. Back home, she discovers that the apple seeds she started in her refrigerator have started to sprout. They're suffering, they're unhappy, they're numb to the pain yet carrying on, but are they interesting? They learn the cause of death has not yet been established but are told they were able to determine that the baby was in a low-oxygen environment and have started proceedings against Eva. And after forcing my self to watch PIeces of a Woman knowing I'd struggle, I think I'm going with my gut next time around. Sean leaves, overcome with emotion, while Martha remains and decides that she wants to donate the baby's body to science. Nothing really gels. Coming Soon. Kornél Mundruczó ’s “Pieces of a Woman” actually begins with a man. 16 trendy women’s pieces that are perfect for spring weddings Camryn Rabideau 1 hr ago U.S. preliminary plan on Afghanistan is to remove at least some contractors -Pentagon The issue goes deeper than simply talking about it though, as Martha's not even sure she herself knows how to express such grief in the first place; society doesn't know how to deal with such a tragedy, so how does she? The speeches fill out her character so she doesn't come across as simply petty. I was hugely taken aback by the films opening power just as much as I'm taken aback by the films somewhat lukewarm reception. [19], Pieces of a Woman was released in select theaters on December 30, 2020, before beginning to digitally stream on Netflix on January 7, 2021. A hard movie to recommend for obvious reasons. Even if they did though, they wouldn't ease the pain or heal the hurt. Coming Soon. Director Kornél Mundruczó doesn't go easy on his actors or on us, making this an ordeal. | Rotten (56). |, April 5, 2021 PIECES OF A WOMAN. The self-blame, the shame, the guilt, and the aforementioned grief is all happening internally making Kirby's performance that much more impressive. It's terrible to watch something so intangible and innocent as the love for a child be processed and formalized through something as structured and cold as the court system, but Mundruczó's flawless eye and specific aesthetic paired with Howard Shore's lovely yet restrained score make the difficulties in the minutia of the narrative easier to consider. We want to hear what you have to say but need to verify your account. Not because of the depressing subject matter. [18] It also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in late September 2020. Elizabeth then tells Sean that she never liked him before offering him a check for large sum of money to leave and never return. Cinemark Years later, a little girl climbs an apple tree, picks an apple, and eats it. Martin Scorsese serves as one of the executive producers. [6], The scene was filmed six times over two days, four times on one day and twice the next,[16] with one camera; it was the first scene shot for the film and took up over 30 pages in the script. Martha soon gives birth to a baby girl who at first seems healthy. For her performance, Kirby was nominated for the Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA Award, Critics' Choice Award, and Screen Actors Guild, among others. |. Other realism was achieved in the scene: partway through the scene, Sean frantically searches for a phone to call 9-1-1, and in about half of the takes, including the final cut, LaBeouf really struggled to remember where the prop was placed. Sean asks Eva if they are safe to continue and Eva tells Sean to call an ambulance. | Rating: 9/10 How does one do, concentrate, or consider anything else besides what they should have been doing in the weeks and months following? Pieces of a Woman è un film del 2020 diretto da Kornél Mundruczó, al suo primo film in lingua inglese. But the bulk of the movie after the first act is just painful to sit through. September 17th. The sequence concludes with a rushed delivery and an asphyxiated child, and then we cut to the title screen. Despite impressive performances, it fails to truly hit that mark. Don't have an account? |, March 24, 2021 Martha and Sean, a young Boston couple, are expecting their first child. Pieces of a Woman is a 2020 Canadian-American drama directed by Kornél Mundruczó, from a screenplay by Kata Wéber. In Pieces of a Woman, Vanessa Kirby plays Martha, a first-time mother who loses her baby daughter at birth. | Top Critics (58) How does everything not simply feel like a waste of time? Speaking of helpless, Shia LaBeouf is equally as impressive in an arc that is heartbreaking in its own right. There are many dramatic moments that occur but they don't really provide greater insight into the main characters who are, at their core from that half-hour mark onward, broken people coming to terms with their response to the unimaginable. and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango. From there, it's 90 minutes of what agonizing grief does to this family. The problem is that Pieces of a Woman has seemed to confuse drama with plot. The film received generally positive reviews, with praise for the performances of Kirby, LaBeouf and Burstyn. Director of photography Benjamin Loeb also physically trained beforehand so that he would have the strength to carry a gimbal-loaded camera for the whole take, though the shoot still negatively impacted his health. Shia LaBeouf and Vanessa Kirby in 'Pieces of a Woman' (Benjamin Loeb/Netflix). The Pieces of a Woman ending wraps up a harrowing story of grief with bits of hope. | Rating: 2/4 [6] The fourth of the six takes was used; though less technically accurate than the takes on the second day, Mundruczó felt it was more alive. Regal |, April 8, 2021 It’s a challenging movie that demands your patience as the story steadily moves along the emotional turmoil. He chose the gimbal as he wanted a "floaty" quality to the scene to represent the baby's perspective and felt that using a hand-held camera would make it look too much like a documentary. Awards talk aside, it's a bit of a mess. [14], The film is noted for its 24-minute long take labor scene at the start, dubbed "The Scene" by The Guardian's Adrian Horton. By opting to have your ticket verified for this movie, you are allowing us to check the email address associated with your Rotten Tomatoes account against an email address associated with a Fandango ticket purchase for the same movie.