The Written Word

Film Review: Mother Mary (2026)

I watched a few scenes between my fingers but the remaining 90 mins of runtime, I was strapped in. I was so excited to see a deep dive on the emotional attachment an artist has to their work and man, did this film deliver.

The Making of the Mother

The film stars Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel as popstar Mother Mary and costume designer Sam Anselm and centres around the tension formed by their creative falling out and their need to conquer their respective demons. The film also features performances from Hunter Shafer, Sian Clifford, Kaia and FKA Twigs who personify the outside forces at play between these women and their worlds. 

Musicians Jack Antonoff, Charli XCX and FKA Twigs created the original songs for the movie’s soundtrack and collaborated with composer Daniel Hart to complete the score that swings from dark and haunting, to energised and uplifting. 

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention that the wickedly talented Iris Van Herpen contributed to the film by designing the story’s final gown. It’s clear she understood this movie from her work designing performance and costume couture. With her trademark understanding of shape and texture, her piece acts as a perfect closure to Sam and Mary’s journey. 

Two women, Two Histories

The real heart of the film comes for Mary and Sam’s deep-rooted yet strained relationship. We meet the pair in present day, after they’ve spent years separated, building lives for themselves on separate continents. We’re told that the two grew up together, becoming creative partners as musician and designer before falling out due to creative differences on their road to fame. Still, they see a sense of home within each other, even stopping to ask “How’s your mum” upon their reunion.

The two have this very sharp and quick banter that gives us a window into their dynamic before their falling out. Whereby both see their contribution to the other’s success but struggle to acknowledge how much they themselves have benefitted from the creative relationship… 

This poses the questions: is it enough to produce the art that everyone loves or must we be recognised as 

Celebrity Culture as a form of Spirituality

We saw from the eras tour that music has new stakes; that people will go to unheard of lengths for their favourite musician; and musicians will do whatever it takes for the spectacle of performance. This film takes it to a whole new level, not just through the imagery of Christianity speckled throughout the film, but also through the use of non-denominational spirituality being the thing that brings these two women back to their work. 

The title and trailer tell us there’s going to be a lot of christian symbolism throughout this film. From her stage name to the use of halos in her costuming, Mother Mary’s persona is painted as this figurehead of inspiration and moral guidance for her audience. Exhausted by the weight of these expectations from the world and herself, she’s looking to escape this painful façade. She even says to Sam, “No more halos. They Hurt”.

Spirituality is such a huge theme throughout this film. We see from the trailer that there’s this red spirit that resembles a floating piece of cloth that haunts both the women. Sam welcomes it, allows it to take up space and move freely in and out of her orbit. To her, it’s beautiful and acts as a guiding and comforting presence. In contrast, Mary sees the spirit as something that’s haunting her, stalking her wherever she goes. It eventually becomes something she feels has taken control of her that she must exorcise from within her. 

When I think about the soul messaging of the film, I see two women who have risen to the top of their fields by creating art that’s true to themselves, together. One flew a little too close to the sun and they both got burned in the fallout, learning to exist without each other while they took the time to rediscover what was important to them. When the time comes that they need each other most, there’s this intangible force that brings them back together to heal them both by doing their one thing with their one person. But perhaps that may just be my soft spot showing. 

Don’t get me wrong, this is still a thriller with a really discomforting body horror element. There’s a deliberate use of a lack of music in certain scenes where you notice the stillness and quietness of their barn-studio environment. There’s a standout scene where Mary is practicing her choreography and the only sounds you hear are her footsteps. The hollow sounds on the floor really set the tone for the eeriness of the rest of the film. 

Why should you see it?

Obviously the horror elements are turned up a few levels when the film starts to get in the weeds of the “ghost story” elements. It might not be for everyone, especially if you’re a bit squeamish, but you won’t have your hands over your eyes for long! I’m really glad I was able to see this film in cinema, because the viewing experience just would not translate through a laptop. 

This film really speaks to both the experience of difficult friendships and a need to constantly improve in a creative yet competitive industry. It’s a wild ride, perfectly crafted for both the fashion and pop culture fans, and the phycological horror buffs, and everyone in between.  

Mother Mary is out in cinemas now.