Life can be a bitch. Especially when you’re a mother of three children, a wife of a barely attentive husband, and are constantly at the beck and call of a needy, new-born baby.

Witness the honest, in-your-face truth about motherhood with Marlo (Charlize Theron)—as she tries her best to keep on top of everything—in Tully.

From the director who brought you Juno and Young Adult, Jason Deitman presents his latest masterpiece: Tully—a film which features a perfect blend of comedy and drama to display an extremely raw depiction of motherhood.

Marlo has just been blessed with her third child, but her life is already a handful without having to wake up at ridiculous hours to wrestle with breast pumps and sacks filled with her own milk. What’s wrong with her life? She’s become a walking milk-machine, her son’s school refuses to tend to his special needs, her husband immediately disappears into his own world when he returns from work, and Marlo is left desperately yearning for the youth and freedom of her twenties.

After an elaborate dinner at her brother Craig’s (Mark Duplass) extravagant house, where she witnesses his seemingly perfect life, Marlo begrudgingly decides to take his advice and accepts a helping hand. Craig gifts her with a night-maid: an in-house helper that visits at night to care for the newborn, with the aim to completely vanquish Marlo’s sleepless nights. Despite being apprehensive to the idea at first, Marlo quickly forms an amazing bond with her new night-maid, Tully (Mackenzie Davis). Through Tully’s assistance and caring nature, Marlo slowly regains the vigour she once held for life.

With Tully going above and beyond with her duties, by not only caring for Marlo’s little Emma, but even baking cupcakes and ensuring that the house is spick and span before leaving each morning, Marlo is finally able to focus on herself and indulge in some much-needed self-love.

Of course, her realistic and extremely raw performance as a devoted mother on the verge of breaking down was impeccable. If not for her amazing acting performance in the film, Theron deserves an outstanding commendation for pushing her body to the limit and gaining 20-some kilos in a span of mere months for her role as Marlo. Theron was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance in Young Adult—her last collaboration with Deitman—and I think that it’s high time for her to be nominated again for delivering this stunning performance.

Tully serves as an incredible piece of cinema that displays the hardships of motherhood. It allows the audience to grow with Marlo, as she discovers that being a mother serves as an extraordinary blessing and victory, instead of a sacrifice that restricts her freedom.

While I commend this film for its amazing performances and powerful message, I must admit that I was left slightly perturbed by its ending, as it left me questioning the entirety of the film. Tully‘s conclusion definitely dabbles in the psychological thriller genre and, ultimately, leaves you with a handful of unanswered questions.

With that being said, Tully is a remarkable film that should be experienced by everyone; irrespective of gender. Motherhood’s certainly not a walk in the park, but then again, as Tully proves, it’s all about perspective and support.

‘Tully’ is in cinemas now.

Images sourced from BrainDamaged and Coming Soon.