Xavier Dolan's debut feature is not about a teenager who killed his mother (as per the deceptive title) but rather a teenager who wishes that his mother was dead, which to his mind amounts to pretty much the same thing. Dolan himself plays the protagonist and Anne Dorval has the role of the despised matriarch, who Dolan introduces to in closeup and slow motion as she messily consumes cream cheese on toast - one of many habits that infuriates the young man. There is, however, a lot more going on and as the film progresses, we begin to wonder whether it is less a case of him hating her and more a case of not feeling comfortable to be open with her (she only finds out that he has a steady boyfriend by chance). Dolan is smart enough to also show us the mother's side of the story, which prevents her from seeming monstrous - though ultimately one does end up siding more with him than her. Dorval is particularly effective in a surprise phone call scene; the way she stumbles while talking, her anger always seems real and not rehearsed. The film nevertheless feels a bit truncated in parts. In particular, the amount of time Dolan's character spends in the boarding school and his experiences there seem shied over. That said, the film flows better than Dolan's (nearly) twice as long 'Laurence Anyways' and it certainly barely overstays its welcome.
Review of I Killed My Mother
