"Pieces of a Woman" Film Review

Vanessa Kirby stars in this heartbreaking film about loss, and the impact it has on one woman's psyche.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

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This movie is not for everyone. This movie is painful, emotional, and often times very hard to watch. That being said, I think it definitely is worth a watch, especially if you are interested at all in acting.

The real shining star in this film is not the script, or the directing (both are fantastic), but is Vanessa Kirby. She is receiving critical praise for her performance for a reason. She provides a masterful performance that is beautifully heartbreaking. Her chemistry with Ellen Burstyn is top-notch. Kirby made me feel so many different emotions throughout the entirety of the movie, and as a man viewing this film I can't even begin to imagine how difficult this performance had to be.

Honestly, all the actors are quite good, except for one. Shia LaBeouf. His acting is so dry, and honestly, I felt nothing when he was emotional. Now, of course, this could be influenced by the recent allegations and me hating him. But I tried to separate that for the sake of reviewing this, and he honestly only brings this film down, down by half a star.

Ellen Burstyn is a gift to this world. At 88, she provides such strong emotion, such amazing power to this role. She is a formidable actor who I respect immensely, and my respect for her only has gone up after this film. She is an unforgettable actor.

The script and directing are wonderful. The (soon to be) infamous one-shot birth scene is incredible, although oftentimes difficult to watch. Clocking in at over twenty minutes, it has moments that make you want to fast forward, but you just can't. I was hooked in part because of Kirby's performance, but also it is masterfully shot. I was holding my breath and was unable to relax during the scene. It is powerful, breathtaking, heartbreaking, and executed extremely well. It was wonderfully shot, as was the whole film, and deserves its own award.

The film, as mentioned, is incredibly shot. The scenes are beautiful and some are true pieces of art in themselves. However, there are some strange shots towards the end (the constant cutting to her shoulder and neck), and these shots left me confused and distracted. These occasional wonky shots do not overtly take away from the overall beauty of this piece of art, they are just a point of concern as a viewer.

The metaphors in this film are simply stunning, like apples to depression. Without spoiling the film, the writer manages to add a deeper meaning to a seemingly basic object. It's beautiful.

I often have gripes with the endings of some of these modern films that are deeply rooted in emotion and depression. That was not the case with this film. There is power, strength, and wonderful nuance in the ending of this film not commonly seen. This film ends on a wonderful note and leaves the viewer very satisfied.

Overall, this film is incredible. Vanessa Kirby's prowess is shown through pain and glory here. Watching this movie is completely worth it, even if it leaves you in pieces.

All I know is Shia better not bring Vanessa Kirby's chances at an award down, because I WILL throw hands. Netflix has a home run here, and I hope they push Kirby enough to give her a shot at winning because she deserves it.

"Pieces of a Woman" is out now in limited release, and streaming on Netflix.

87/100 Enjoyment: A