Review of Tully (2018) by Omar L — 21 Dec 2018

Who would have thought that one of the best movies to feature the impermanence of the manic pixie dream girl would come from Diablo Cody? I have rarely seen a movie with a script and performances that showed how maturity isn't something that just happens, but is an ongoing process, like a ship whose parts are gradually replaced until the original material no longer exists.

While postpartum depression is the impetus that drives the movie, my focus and gratitude rested on what it means to need help, and what happens when you're too proud to accept it because of whatever society tells you to do.

Here, Cody is harsh towards the judgmental people who think they know everything about everything, and she is generous to those (especially the men in Marlo's life) who all want to help. These characters are so real and relatable that when Tully appears, her Mary Poppins-like perfection comes off first as ridiculous, then as miraculous, and then sad.

This was one of the best scripts I have seen this year.