Tuesday

It is also astonishingly tender and very human despite its fantastical premise, which rivals any superhero film for boldness of imagination yet summons uncommon emotional heft.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus gives a performance of breathtaking vulnerability as the mother of a dying teenager in “Tuesday,” a film that tells the story of the most shattering loss of all without melodrama or a score filled with syrupy strings.

This is probably not the film you would expect it to be. But its unexpectedness is its biggest asset, a moving and very eccentric feathered fantasy about life, death and everything in-between.

There’s no escapism here, just like there’s no escape from our final repose. But there is a sense that how we face mortality matters, and that maybe — after watching this strange and wonderful film — we’ll be better equipped for that moment.

This is a moving and compassionate fable that honours both the dying and those being left behind, while personifying, without ever demonising, death itself.

At its intermittent best, “Tuesday” pulls a rough and breathtaking beauty from the cataclysm. At its worst, it’s for the birds.

It felt like I was watching a Wayans Bros. movie instead of one that expected me to take the ideas of dying and grief seriously.

Fables often make for intriguing storytelling and engaging cinematic experiences. And such is the case for the debut feature from writer-director Daina Oniunas-Pusic, a whimsical yet profound tale about the acceptance of death (or, more precisely, the ability to move beyond that and learn how to make friends with death). It’s told through the experience of 15-year-old Tuesday (Lola Petticrew), a terminally ill adolescent whose mother, Zora (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), is struggling to accept the inevitable. Zora looks for excuses to avoid spending time with her daughter, because she’s unable to face the impending truth. But, when death itself suddenly and unexpectedly appears to claim Tuesday, taking the form of a talking, shape-shifting parrot (voiced by Arinzé Kene), Zora’s hand is forced. Somewhat surprisingly, Tuesday reconciles herself to her fate rather easily and subsequently ends up spending most of her remaining time trying to help her mother understand the nature of what’s about to happen – and what will unfold if it doesn’t, consequences with larger implications. In doing so, the film gets into some deeply meaningful material, presenting insights that most of us probably have never considered, let alone explored, shedding an entirely new light on the essence of death, as well as the tremendous burden it has placed on its ornithological messenger. The result is a truly moving story, one that deftly mixes joy and sadness, pathos and humor, and anger and sympathy, not only for mother and daughter, but also for death itself and the wider world of which we’re all a part. The narrative certainly gives viewers much to contemplate, introducing notions that might well raise eyebrows and perhaps even ruffle a few feathers (no pun intended) for those accustomed to more conventional interpretations of this subject. But, in the end, the picture provides a fresh, more mature take on these concepts. Admittedly, the pacing sags a touch in the middle, and the flow of the story may seem somewhat strange or a tad unfocused at times. What’s more, some may question the reasoning behind why death appears as a talking parrot (but, then again, why should it necessarily take some of the more familiar forms we have seen in other stories, such as the grim reaper, for instance?). The film features fine performances, most notably the best screen work Louis-Dreyfus has ever turned in. It also respectfully recalls material presented previously in such perceptively prescient tales as the moving Australian comedy-drama “Baby Teeth” (2019) and the classic Twilight Zone episode “Nothing in the Dark” (1962) featuring a very young Robert Redford. Still, the premise may strike some as odd, absurd or implausible, but, then, when have fables, fairy tales or opera librettos ever faithfully stuck to the tried and true? Suspend your disbelief for this one, and sit back and immerse yourself in what it has to say. You may never look at death the same way ever again.

IN A NUTSHELL: A24 is a studio that is always willing to try new ideas. Here's another one! The story is about a mother and her teenage daughter named Tuesday. They both need to confront Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking bird. The film was written and directed by Daina Oniunas-Pusic. Already, it has been nominated for an award by the London Film Festival. Congratulations to Daina Oniunas-Pusic for her directorial debut. THINGS I LIKED: We'll always see Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine in Seinfeld, but I'm always impressed with her performances in dramatic roles. She does a fantastic job and is absolutely the draw to this film when you see her on the movie poster. I had never seen Lola Petticrew in anything before, but now I'm a fan. She did a really great job in this. Arinze Kene is the voice of the bird/Death. There are some fascinating images and camera angles that make you think. We never really know exactly what illness Tuesday has, but it's not as important as knowing her death is impending. There is humor amidst the drama. One thing about this movie is that it's extremely unique! THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE: Some people will not like this artsy portrayal of death. Christians might be offended because the bird says there is no God. At one point there is imagery that mocks Jesus Christ. TIPS FOR PARENTS: Kids will be bored and confused. So will some adults. Some profanity, including F-bombs We see a man with no legs crawling through the streets.

Even though the drama broke down in spots, I found this film very interesting. JLD really swung for the fences on this one. Effects were convincing but spotty at times, although not a big consideration for a film like this. All in all an original, aspirational work.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus plays a mother overwhelmed by the fatal illness of her daughter (Lola Petticrew). Enter a talking macaw that represents death and can instantly grow from 1 inch to an intimidating giant . They manage to stave off the inevitable…at least for a while. This concept is dramatically bold, allowing first-time feature director Diana Oniunas-Pusic to showcase both of these women to powerful effect. This examination of grief and loss is coupled with the mother's determination to fight for her child. The film's daring feat of imagination is paired with two compelling performances to create an unusual and mildly spellbinding experiment.

A nova incursão da A24 tem uma pegada intimista e uma visão interessante para lidar com a morte (personalizada num pássaro meio bizarro), que irá pairar na vida da mãe e filha por quase duas horas de projeção. O problema é que o miolo é entediante: faltam elementos que justifiquem a aceitação ou não da inevitabilidade do fim. Há um excesso de cenas com as duas na cama, se olhando, ou numa rotina pra lá de tediosa. Com técnicas simples quando os personagens aumentam ou diminuem de tamanho, ao menos a relação das personagens com a figura mítica ficou super funcional, fruto do ótimo trabalho de interpretação das atrizes, que basicaente carregam o filme nas costas, mesmo com pouco a dizer.