ChicDragon
It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Lidia Draper
Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.
Fatma Suarez
The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful
Fleur
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
Manuel Groesch
What I liked about the movie: - Xavier Dolan's style; his hair and clothes are as disorderly and as pretend alternative as his character - the verbal fights between mother and son - the relationship with the teacher who seems to develop a crush on him and the chase scene that makes this very plastic towards the end of the movie + the scene in the restaurant that shows just her face and her emotions - the painting scene - Hubert's mother's ridiculous sense of style and fashion and the contrast to her son - His boyfriends' mother; the only thing I could laugh about in the movie - the québécois! - the score What I didn't like: - the beating-up of Hubert. Seems unnecessary for the plot and gives the movie a "This is a coming out story so I have to have the main character get beaten up" scene
Errington_92
Xavier Dolan's directorial debut was a very engrossing drama with the exploration of a Mother and Son's complex relationship and imaginative use of visual imagery.Dolan, also playing the lead of anguished homosexual teenager Hubert, is constantly at odds with his Mother Chantale. In the film's early stages their interactions are filled with tension, the clashing of personalities. As I Killed My Mother progresses Hubert and Chantale's individual notions to their relationship. Hubert longing for motherly love yet this subsides with rage and Chantale's muted reflectivity only revealing her true emotions to herself. Both Dolan and Anne Dorval brought characteristics and mannerisms to their performances which should be highly praised for its absorbing nature.The same can also be said for I Killed My Mother's symbolic and intense technical style. On multiple occasions scenes are intercut with images to convey underlying feelings most prominently Hubert's vision of Chantale as the Virgin Mary, such imagery challenges audiences letting it simmer on our thoughts. Stéphanie Anne Weber Biron's cinematography also deserves praise particularly in scenes with Hubert and Chantale, at times isolating them from one another adding to the tension.The thoroughly structured technical aspects and compelling performances of I Killed My Mother left myself with a wave of striving emotions, almost to tears as I was left to contemplate the marvelous achievements of a film from a first time Director.
Elise Feklistova
She: like most mothers she cares for her son and looks after him. She drives him to school, she washes his clothes, she cooks. The downside: She uses these things as excuses to constantly make him feel guilty, make him feel like he owes her for loving him. She keeps accusing him of being ungrateful (though she never says it directly, but implies it in almost every conversation). What's (arguably) worse: she refuses to listen to him. When she does listen, she doesn't take him seriously. She avoids confrontation, barring occasional hysterical outbursts. He: makes it perfectly clear that he doesn't expect her to do all the material things for him that she does, and that he'd much rather fend for himself if that means not having to be made to feel guilty all the time. She: is a struggling single mother, working each day to try to give him a better future. She has to face self-important people who judge her, but who have no idea about the kind of life she leads. He: does not understand this. He does not see past her awful taste (in clothes and interior design). He thinks she's superficial. He refuses to let her be a part of his life, he criticizes her every word, her every move. He screams at her, insults her. She: loves him. He: loves her too. So much.J'ai tue ma mere is an unflinchingly honest, masterfully shot portrayal of a strained mother/son relationship. Great actors, beautiful images and, I cannot emphasize this enough, absolutely spectacular technique. Bravo Xavier Dolan! You have created a true work of art.
ihrtfilms
This debut from Canadian director Xavier Dolan had an 8 minute ovation when it screened at Cannes last year. Full credit must be given to Dolan for an ambitious film on a low budget. However I struggled with much of the film, which is a shame, as it has potential, storywise to be a great film.Hubert and his mother are a terrible pair, both self absorbed, both loathing each other, both loving each other. Hubert is an angst ridden 16yrs and his mother is the scourge of his life. Hubert's attitude, his demeanor and his behavior are often brutally cruel, his treatment of his mother his often despicable and shocking and far from anything that normal teenage angst brings. This was what I struggled with, his behavior, he was vile and it all felt so unnecessary, there is little explanation to his dislike of his mother, his parents are estranged, but that seems irrelevant and whilst his mother his often no better than her child, she is a far more nicer person. Her love for her son, shows that despite his abuse and rantings, the love for a child can be maintained throughout. It is remarkable she can stand it all.Teenage minds work in strange ways, we have all been there and to this extent I would like to think I can see Hubert's understanding, but I just found his behavior so horrid it made no sense. His being gay, seems to be a very little factor in his behavior, his a caring boyfriend and seems comfortable in his sexuality. Does Hubert long to be loved? Well, he is. Does he long to have a mother like his boyfriends? Well, maybe she isn't the same person, but he never gives her a chance. That he needs her is something he will never acknowledge.Story aside, there are some nice moments in it, the scene where the mother lets rip at the school principal is worthy of an award. There are some nice camera techniques and the acting is good throughout. The film is very dark, literally speaking, perhaps this is a directorial choice or maybe it's because of the low budget, but interior scenes where often so dark it looked like night.This is the sort of film that will be lauded by most and I wish I can be one of them, however with a character so unlikeable was difficult to. There are plenty of other more worthy teenage themed films out there that explore the difficulties of that age much better and are worth the praise: anyone seen The Breakfast Club? More reviews at my site iheartfilms.weebly.com