‘MA’ Review

One of my favorite things about cinema, or art really, is that 10 people can watch the same work and get 10 different experiences. However, that is sometimes to a film’s determent rather than credit. The fact is, when something can be equally loved and hated, it puts viewers in a strange place. But also, I think there is a learning curve to understand intent.

I say all this in a roundabout way to say the following: You may love Ma. But… you may also hate Ma.

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Ma is a Scotty Landes film. He wrote the screenplay and if you know him from his work on Workaholics, his method steadily carries over. Ma is a slow-burn, fast-payoff movie with a last 45 minutes that goes from 0 to 60 in six seconds. The beginning of Ma tells all the story, and the end gives you all the gore and thriller you’ve been waiting for.

But there is another element here. And that is director Tate Taylor. Taylor, whose directing life is highlighted by his work on The Girl on the Train and The Help, mixed in his own spin on things. I think that is evident by the undertones the acting portrays, and the way that the societal questions that come to pass are placed in your face. It reminds me very much of The Help in a way, and that is not to be taken badly.

Ma is the story of Sue Ann, a lonely woman with a strange demeanor who begins to befriend local teenagers by buying them alcohol and throwing parties at her house. What the teens will find is that while Ma is a great friend to have, she’s a a dangerous enemy to make. This story is simple. It’s weighted by the details that go into it, not by the complexity of the actual narrative. Is it lacking? Partially, but it makes up for in the sheer raw acting talent. Octavia Spencer is perfect. I do not use that term loosely either. She is believable, scary, and so enjoyable to watch.

The film does suffer from a couple of intentional issues. The first is that it completely and totally commits. What I mean by that is while it’s not the worst gore you will ever see, what it does it goes full in on. For a narrative that saves a lot of the action for the later half, it can be jarring. Second, the camera plays games with your mind. I think the intent is to play to your discomfort and cause a more rounded unnerving feeling. But without that mindset, it can turn you off.

Acting wise with Octavia aside, it’s not the greatest ever. The kids are okay, and some of the adults are just plan silly. And the narrative goes exactly how you expect, with no deviations. This kind of steady line can be great if what you are looking for is to be entertained, but the underlying social commentary isn’t elevated by this predictability, so it can leave the movie feeling heavy with details it doesn’t need.

Lastly, the soundtrack is superb. Both for the comedic elements and the serious ones. Overall, it’s extremely satisfying if what you want is to be entertained. It’s not groundbreaking in nature, but it makes up for it with just a lot of fun. I’d own it, and I’d watch it again.