A woman goes through a rarely talked about the grieving process in Pieces of a Woman, the latest from director Kornél Mundruczó.
This was supposed to be a happy time. Martha and Sean were expecting their first child, having prepped for a home birth that they were confident would go smoothly. When it comes time, though, things don’t go as planned, and the couple tragically loses their baby. Thus begins a period neither of them were prepared for, one where they must navigate their own grief and the expectations of others with no clear idea of how to do any of it.
It’s heavy material for Mundruczó, but he’s shown that he can handle character-driven difficult subjects. He’s best known for his 2014 film White God, which earned much critical praise, but with several other well-received films under his belt, he’s hardly a one-hit wonder. Still, he’ll need to be at the top of his game to navigate this rarely broached subject, and to help him out he assembled a hell of a cast to lean on.
Vanessa Kirby is getting rave reviews as the woman being broken down, and she’s supported by the likes of Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn. If nothing else, top tier work from those three should be enough to check out Pieces of a Woman.
Pieces of a Woman is directed by Kornél Mundruczó and stars Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, and Ellen Burstyn. It will get a limited theatrical run in the US starting December 30th, 2020, and will be released on Netflix worldwide on January 7th, 2021. To stay up to date with the release schedule, click here.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments!
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.