Australian acting sensation Rose Byrne has delivered what critics are calling a career-best performance in the upcoming A24 drama If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, set to hit Australian cinemas on November 13.
A Powerful Performance Amidst Emotional Turmoil
Byrne takes on the challenging role of Linda, a mother struggling to maintain balance while her husband, played by Christian Slater, is away for eight weeks. The film presents a brutally raw examination of motherhood as Linda juggles work responsibilities with the demanding care of her chronically ill daughter.
The young girl's medical condition requires her to be connected to an enteral feeding machine each night, with a tube directly into her gut. While the exact nature of her illness remains unspecified, this medical detail becomes central to the film's tension and serves as a potential source of body horror, characteristic of A24 productions.
Mounting Pressure and Emotional Strain
The narrative intensifies when doctors inform Linda that her daughter must reach a specific weight target within one week or face extended time on the feeding machine. This deadline amplifies the pressure on Linda, implicitly suggesting that failure would reflect poorly on her parenting capabilities.
Further complicating matters, a water leak causes the ceiling of their home to collapse, forcing Linda, her daughter, and the essential feeding equipment into a questionable motel. This change of environment introduces new characters, including a neighbour portrayed by rapper A$AP Rocky and a convenience store worker played by Ivy Wolk.
Unique Cinematic Approach and Supporting Cast
Director Mary Bronstein employs a distinctive visual style, using extreme close-ups of Byrne's face throughout much of the film while withholding views of the daughter until the final scene. This technique effectively recreates the claustrophobic experience of a parent under extreme duress.
The film features an impressively understated performance from talk show host Conan O'Brien as Linda's therapist. Their sessions explore Linda's tendency to self-medicate with wine and weed when facing overwhelming circumstances. Interestingly, Linda is herself a therapist, highlighting the challenge of practising what one preaches during difficult times.
While the film's two-hour runtime might benefit from trimming approximately 30 minutes, and some A24 stylistic choices - including a particularly jarring hamster sequence - may divide audiences, there's unanimous agreement about Byrne's outstanding performance.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You offers a challenging yet compelling viewing experience that explores the complexities of modern motherhood through the lens of one woman's struggle. Australian audiences can witness Rose Byrne at her tragicomedy best when the film releases nationally on November 13.
