Mary Goes Round

When you are drawn in to the vulnerability and honesty of a story, it is a gift. The performances are all incredible and the direction keeps it real. Human flaws balanced with a semblance of hope. This will be on my mind for some time to come and that, to me, is what great story-telling does. Well done. Highly recommend you watch this beautiful Canadian film.

Much better than I expected. ALL performances were convincing and the storyline didn't sugar coat the issues. Truly a hidden gem.

Mary Goes Round is a heartfelt drama that delves into themes of addiction, redemption, and family dynamics. While the pacing can be slow at times, the film shines with its emotional depth and the strong performance by the lead actress, who brings Mary's inner turmoil to life with authenticity.

The film's portrayal of relationships, particularly Mary's strained connection with her estranged father and half-sister, adds layers to the narrative. However, at times the plot feels predictable, and some aspects of the story could have been explored in more depth. Overall, Mary Goes Round is a solid watch that offers a realistic look at personal struggles and the complexity of recovery, even if it doesn't break new ground. Worth watching for fans of character-driven stories.

No doubt had this premiered at Sundance and had been lauded with the laurels of American media this would have been a breakout hit. Sadly, it's likely destined to register with few people, especially in Canada, where "Canadian movie" is still a loaded term.

And that's too bad. This is an indie Canadian movie that moves beyond what one might expect from this repertoire, that is, earnestness and self-consciousness. Rather, MGR clearly takes place in Toronto and Niagara Falls (with a reference to Timmins) that takes such geography for granted, rather than fetishize the locale in the ol' rah-rah-Canada! of yore. This kind of mature gesture extends to the other aspects of the film: an excellent cast (really, not a single misstep in casting), a tight script, and deft editing and direction.

Some moments are laugh-out-loud funny, which serves to heighten the drama (and vice-versa). Mary is an alcoholic, as are other characters, and AA is foregrounded; but the film never engages any kind of moralism or sentimentality or neatly-resolved angst often typical of similar-themed movies. No Hallmark-card moments. Just an engaged and absorbing 90 minutes.

Had the film better funding no doubt it could have amped up the production values, mostly in lighting and sound. But what it does accomplish on its budget speaks to talents of all involved.

Already one of my favourites of 2018.

An excellent film that tells its story extremely well.

The acting, directing, editing and dialogue are all done well. Scene transitions are crisp and competent, and the filming is superb. All of that provides a tight and concise framework for an earnest and powerful delivery of an individual's story encapsulated inside of some brilliant social and familial commentary.

The humor is spot on and delivered when needed, not in any mean or slapdash way, but in a often deprecating, yet compassionate, style that helps the story move along.

As I noted, the acting is well done, not a weak performance that I can recall, and strong performances from the four leads. Similarly to reiterate my praise for the direction, the film is well filmed, edited and paced, with no distractions to the audience due to sub par technical or production aspects.

This is 90 minutes well worth your time and I imagine it will become a personal favorite for many people because of its charm, sincerity and the personal relationship many people in the audience have with substance and family issues.