‘If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’ Review: Rose Byrne Is Brilliantly Unhinged in a Chaotic Maternal-Meltdown Drama
Director Mary Bronstein casts 'Damages' star Rose Byrne as a woman overwhelmed by life in an alternately exhilarating and maddening Safdie-like indie.
Most folks seek escapism when going to the movies, while others get off on seeing other people’s anxiety, drawing either catharsis or comedy from the idea that someone else has it worse. Sporting a poisoned-fortune-cookie title like “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” there can be little question as to which category best describes Mary Bronstein’s stress-fueled second feature. With her husband away and her daughter hooked up to a constantly beeping medical device, exasperated Linda (Rose Byrne) may be going out of her mind, but Bronstein puts us squarely inside it, as the walls close in, the ceiling collapses and the floor buckles beneath her.
An A24 release forged in much the same mold as “Good Time” or “Uncut Gems” (which Bronstein’s partner Ronnie co-wrote), the Safdie-esque — but refreshingly female-centered — indie movie could be “Mommy No-Legs” to those guys’ crazy-making “Daddy Longlegs”: a virtuosic portrait of mental unraveling that uses every tool in the director’s arsenal to re-create an end-of-the-world feeling on the most intimate of scales. Delivering a feverish, raw-nerve performance sure to go down as one of the year’s greats, Byrne has never had a role even remotely this intense to prepare us for the kind of emotional acrobatics her writer-director has in store.
Like Bronstein’s little-watched 2008 debut “Yeast” (which paired the mumblecore multi-hyphenate with Greta Gerwig), her oppressive, zero-oxygen new film is shot mostly in close-up, holding tight on Byrne’s face as Linda juggles more than she can handle. The movie doesn’t explain those pressures, but instead throws us directly into the deep end with its protagonist, whose “job” as mother of a high-maintenance child (Delaney Quinn) registers long before her job-job as a guidance counselor at the Center for Psychological Arts and Mom Talk.
Popular on VarietyIn theory, Linda should have all the skills one needs to deal with an unnamed, on-the-spectrum daughter, who is barely seen — but often heard, asking histrionic questions from the back seat or nearby room — until the very end, when cinematographer Christopher Messina (who worked as a camera operator on “Good Time”) finally reveals the kid’s face. Hidden until then, the girl seems almost like a manifestation of Linda’s feelings, from imminent meltdown to resentment of her absentee husband (a pragmatic-sounding Christian Slater, who checks in by phone) to an overall inadequacy as a mother.
That latter subject — and the tradition-challenging conclusion that follows, whereby modern women may pursue some higher calling than parenthood — has been an increasingly common theme in recent films made by women, from Marielle Heller’s “Nightbitch” to Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “The Lost Daughter.” Here, Linda wrestles with not only the notion that “I’m one of those people who’s not supposed to be a mom,” but also the fear that she could do something reckless, like smother her own child — an idea that’s echoed in media coverage of murdering moms that plays on the film’s margins, with soundbites that suggest “untreated mental illness is to blame.”
Too on-the-nose to be foreboding, such clips offer a window into Linda’s mindset, as do antagonistic sessions with her therapist (and co-worker), amusingly played by Conan O’Brien with a look of constant gastric discomfort on his face that suggest her concerns may be giving him ulcers. Bronstein doesn’t let on right away the ironic detail that Linda is trained to give the kind of advice she requires — though it’s clear from her conversations with various medical professionals that she has the vocabulary to understand what she’s going through.
That could in fact be making things worse, since Linda has a tendency to outthink or otherwise challenge the people trying to help her (while the dream she describes in session implies that she has an unresolved crush on O’Brien’s character). Meanwhile, she has no patience for her own patients, who include “Patti Cake$” breakout Danielle Macdonald as another anxious mom, Ella Beatty as a vapid millennial and Safdie-adjacent “Funny Pages” star Daniel Zolghadri as a needy man-child.
While not everyone here is nuts, the word “normal” doesn’t remotely apply to any of Bronstein’s characters — not even James (A$AP Rocky), the well-meaning stranger in the room next door to Linda’s at the hotel where she goes after the family’s apartment floods. Factor in the self-medicating influence of marijuana and multiple bottles of wine a night, and audiences may question whether some of the more surrealistic moments are really happening, like the gaping hole in the ceiling of her bedroom, which creates a cosmic void into which Linda lets her worries to float away.
Intensely subjective without ever pulling the literal first-person POV trick seen in last year’s “Nickel Boys,” “If I Had Legs” hews closer to “Beau Is Afraid” or “Punch-Drunk Love” in the way it uses an agonizing score, brusque cuts and claustrophobic cinematography to approximate the pressure its main character is under. Some may find that hilarious, while others are sure to abandon ship as Bronstein puts us in the uncomfortable position of vicariously experiencing Linda’s slow-motion nervous breakdown. Undergirding it all are deep thoughts about the expectations society places on women, how men are often seen as the stable ones (but rarely assume the same responsibilities) and where the line between extreme stress and mental illness lies.
The movie makes clear that Hollywood has largely underestimated Byrne until now, casting Kristen Wiig’s “Bridesmaids” rival largely as comedic or generically beautiful wives, moms and lower-billed supporting parts. Compared to such flat characters, Linda feels almost four-dimensional — a role that virtually flop-sweats off the screen, all but shaking your seat with her anxiety, the way premium theaters do with their chair-throttling 4DX screenings. It’s almost too much to take at times, though Bronstein injects moments of absurdist humor here and there, like the scene where Linda caves in and allows her daughter to adopt a demonic hamster.
Studying Linda’s desperate expression in the rearview mirror of her car, it’s a wonder that any actor can make her face twitch like that. “If I Had Legs” calls for next-level commitment from its star — and no small amount of schadenfreude from the audience.
On Friday, Jan. 24 President Donald Trump visited North Carolina to survey first hand the recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene which hit the state hard
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The stars of JTBC’s “The Tale of Lady Ok” have shared their final thoughts ahead of tonight’s series finale!
“The Tale of Lady Ok” tells the story of the intense survival con game of runaway slave Goo Deok (Lim Ji Yeon), who assumes a false identity, and Cheon Seung Hwi (Choo Young Woo), who risks everything to protect her.
With just one episode left to go, the drama’s leads took a nostalgic look back at filming and spoke fondly about what the series meant to them.
Lim Ji Yeon shared, “Even as I was playing Ok Tae Young, I found myself rooting for her. Because she’s a character for whom I felt deep affection, I think [playing her] was all the more special.”
She also expressed her gratitude to the show’s viewers, noting, “More people became invested in Ok Tae Young’s life than I’d expected, which surprised me. Many people gave me warm reviews that became a source of strength for me, so I was happy each and every day while the drama was airing.”
“I’m grateful that I was able to start 2025 while receiving love from so many people,” she continued, “and I think I’ve gained the motivation that will be my driving force as I live out this new year. I wish all of you lots of good fortune in the new year.”
Choo Young Woo commented, “While preparing for this drama, I went through many experiences that I will remember for a long time. Thanks to the admirable character of Seung Hwi, I think I was able to receive lots of interest.”
He went on, “I would like to once again thank the director for trusting me with this role, and because everyone [who worked on the drama] spent so much time pondering it and poured so much love into it, I’m truly happy that the drama ended up receiving lots of love from many people. I hope the drama will remain in viewers’ hearts as a warm memory.”
Kim Jae Won humbly remarked, “Each and every moment that I lived as Do Gyeom was a precious time that allowed me to grow as an actor.”
“I hope that the new year is full of only health and happiness for you all,” he continued, “and no matter what ups and downs come your way, I hope you will overcome them wisely, just like Ok Tae Young, Cheon Seung Hwi, Sung Do Gyeom, and Cha Mi Ryeong of the Sung family.”
Finally, Yeonwoo said, “Because ‘The Tale of Lady Ok’ was my first historical drama, I was very nervous and anxious, but thanks to all of my co-stars, I learned a lot and had a really great experience, so I think I’ll remember it for a long time.”
She concluded, “It was truly an honor to be part of such a great drama, and I’m truly grateful to all of the viewers who gave us love.”
The final episode of “The Tale of Lady Ok” will air on January 26 at 10:30 p.m. KST.
In the meantime, watch Lim Ji Yeon in “Lies Hidden in My Garden” on Viki below:
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39929c-lies-hidden-in-my-garden]
Or check out Choo Young Woo’s drama “Oasis” below!
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39598c-oasis]
Source (1)
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, who assumes a false identity, and Cheon Seung Hwi (Choo Young Woo), who risks everything to protect her.
With just one episode left to go, the drama’s leads took a nostalgic look back at filming and spoke fondly about what the series meant to them.
Lim Ji Yeon shared, “Even as I was playing Ok Tae Young, I found myself rooting for her. Because she’s a character for whom I felt deep affection, I think [playing her] was all the more special.”
She also expressed her gratitude to the show’s viewers, noting, “More people became invested in Ok Tae Young’s life than I’d expected, which surprised me. Many people gave me warm reviews that became a source of strength for me, so I was happy each and every day while the drama was airing.”
“I’m grateful that I was able to start 2025 while receiving love from so many people,” she continued, “and I think I’ve gained the motivation that will be my driving force as I live out this new year. I wish all of you lots of good fortune in the new year.”
Choo Young Woo commented, “While preparing for this drama, I went through many experiences that I will remember for a long time. Thanks to the admirable character of Seung Hwi, I think I was able to receive lots of interest.”
He went on, “I would like to once again thank the director for trusting me with this role, and because everyone [who worked on the drama] spent so much time pondering it and poured so much love into it, I’m truly happy that the drama ended up receiving lots of love from many people. I hope the drama will remain in viewers’ hearts as a warm memory.”
Kim Jae Won humbly remarked, “Each and every moment that I lived as Do Gyeom was a precious time that allowed me to grow as an actor.”
“I hope that the new year is full of only health and happiness for you all,” he continued, “and no matter what ups and downs come your way, I hope you will overcome them wisely, just like Ok Tae Young, Cheon Seung Hwi, Sung Do Gyeom, and Cha Mi Ryeong of the Sung family.”
Finally, Yeonwoo said, “Because ‘The Tale of Lady Ok’ was my first historical drama, I was very nervous and anxious, but thanks to all of my co-stars, I learned a lot and had a really great experience, so I think I’ll remember it for a long time.”
She concluded, “It was truly an honor to be part of such a great drama, and I’m truly grateful to all of the viewers who gave us love.”
The final episode of “The Tale of Lady Ok” will air on January 26 at 10:30 p.m. KST.
In the meantime, watch Lim Ji Yeon in “Lies Hidden in My Garden” on Viki below:
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39929c-lies-hidden-in-my-garden]
Or check out Choo Young Woo’s drama “Oasis” below!
[viki-watchnow url=https://www.viki.com/tv/39598c-oasis]
Source (1)
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The actor pulled double duty as the host and musical guest after his Oscar nomination for “A Complete Unknown.”
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Novak Djokovic wys?a? wiadomo?? do Igi ?wi?tek po jej spadku w ?wiatowym rankingu: „Nieszcz?sna polska bia?a ma?po!…..
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A commentator explains why Prince William and Kate Middleton aren't 'in competition' with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on social media.
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Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
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