SPOILER ALERT!
A long, twisted bullet, apparently, taken in one go. In the recording, we see Vanessa Kirby Martha’s character go through the motions for birth. It’s a weird, uncomfortable experience as an observer, and I mean that in the best sense possible. Thanks to Kirby’s strong skill sets, despite not feeling her physical pain, I could still feel the discomfort of the character. Her long spells, confusion and cussing added to the already believable look at the word thanks to the actor’s body language. It is this sense of belief, it is this feeling of something knocking on your belly that Kirby moves on with in Kornél Mundruczó’s guide pieces of Woman.
Also featuring Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn in key parts, Pieces of a Woman is a complex, poignant portrayal of sadness brought to life by the powerful performance of Vanessa Kirby. What also really helps her is that Pieces of a Woman is a character-oriented film, not a plot-driven film. The narrative is simple and predictable for the T. What he raised is the sketch of Martha Weiss, neatly drawn. A strong, independent woman who picks up her pieces after an irreversible loss.
After finding out about the death of her baby, Martha carries her pain like a stock. She shows a stone face, cool and calm all the time. She doesn’t want to be buried. She does not want to be reminded of the pain. She will be in pain. Numb and hurt quietly like a hero. At times as a tough hero who can’t be bothered listening to lovers. Everything, everything blur. Now these are difficult times for an actor. Crying, letting go of the emotions may be the obvious thing, and even maybe the easier and ‘natural’ act. But since Martha is like a wall, Kirby must be one too. She has to express without expressing. Challenging work for an artist, and work performed by Vanessa Kirby. This feat becomes unbelievable once you find out that Kirby herself was never born and has never experienced motherhood. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actress revealed that she was able to see a woman give birth and that’s how she was able to do what she did in the opening minutes of the film. “This was the most amazing act of generosity and I knew I could never start performing it without seeing what it looks like,” Kirby said.
Pieces of a Woman is a mostly silent film. There are only a few dramatic exchanges. Silence, symbols and Martha are the three main ingredients in the film. Martha’s silence after the loss, the image of Martha keeping apple seeds, the drying plants, the stacked plates in her house, her messy hair and her quiet but gloomy smile – are those are the members of the film Kornél Mundruczó. If you can sit through silence and look for signs of feminine relief, Pieces of a Woman is the movie for you.
Also featuring Iliza Shlesinger and Molly Parker, Pieces of a Woman is streaming on Netflix.