As painful as it is to watch someone’s beloved child die seconds after its birth, watching its mother endure eight months of isolation and grief is even more heart wrenching. The 2020 drama Pieces of a Woman, recently added to Netflix, follows Martha Weiss, a young executive married to a construction worker. After her failed home-birth leads to broken relationships and a court case against the midwife, Martha and her husband Sean cope with their grief in different ways.
There is no denying that the opening is this film’s strongest moment. The tension between Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LaBeouf) during the birth of their child is palpable. Kirby’s performance is so emotional and incredibly raw that it makes you physically uncomfortable.
Director Kornél Mundruczó effectively portrays how a traumatic loss can completely change a person; however, at times the storyline can be very predictable. After the opening scene, the film plays out how you would expect it to. I never found myself shocked, but the acting and cinematography still kept me thoroughly engaged while watching. And although it feels a little misplaced with the rest of the film, the resolution is very satisfying after a miserable 120 minutes.
The snowy Boston setting is beautifully captured, and recurring shots of the pier make the film just a little more tolerable. Music by Howard Shore does the same. It comes in at all the right places to enforce the emotionalism of the film. The camera’s focus on details that come to make sense by the end of the film, namely its focus on apples, enhances the narrative in a stunning way. Visually, this film is a hit.
I can’t imagine watching this as a parent or anyone who has experienced the loss of a loved one. Martha’s grief is incredibly gripping, and it is hard to watch her mental descent into depression after the people in her life turn on her. This is in no way a fun watch, but if you’re looking to spend a night in emotional distress, then this grim film is a good choice.
Photo courtesy of Netflix
