It is scarce to see a film with such sensitivity and intimacy as Monica. IFC and writer-director Andrea Pallaoro created a film that will undoubtedly live in the Queer film canon since it so tenderly depicts a trans woman returning home to care for her ailing mother. The trailer promises a quiet uneasiness where little is said. Still, the tension speaks when the characters cannot, and in fact Monica keeps its promise on what it delivers. IFC brings together Trace Lysett, Emily Browning, and Patricia Clarkson are a force to be reckoned with as they handle such a sensitive story with the utmost respect and tenderness.
Pallaoro’s story cuts deep, it reflects on the silent torture of feeling like you have nowhere to belong and the terror of facing those whose rejection could wound deeper than any knife. Monica drops little breadcrumbs that softly and slowly pull you into this story, capturing you with the tension in every facial expression amongst the cast. The film’s titular character, Monica (Lysette), is reuniting with her family for the first time since her transition as her mother (Clarkson) begins her steep decline in health. After being tracked down by her sister-in-law (Browning), Monica makes the scary decision to try one last time to fit back into the family that raised her.
There are not many films like Monica, but it is an important watch that tells an honest story free of expectations and an over-the-top message. Pallaoro treats Monica’s story with such care as she begins her acclimation back to her childhood home, with a second chance to show her family just how incredible she is. Trace Lysett gives a stellar performance, she gives Monica strength, grace, and vulnerability unlike any performance so far this year. Clarkson and Lysett show audiences the true intimacy between mother and daughter that is so tender audiences can feel every gentle touch shared between the two.
Score: 4 out of 5
Monica is an incredible film that silences audiences in the best way possible. Pallaoro’s storytelling is quiet and gentle, making it almost impossible to make a noise that might bring you out of his world. The film is almost hypnotic, and I found myself forgetting I was even watching a movie. Trace Lysette is stunning and should be top-billed on so many more projects, she is a face and name nobody should forget. Overall, Monica is a slice of life, but the magnitude of what Monica expresses as a film is unmistakeably courageous. I hope sincerely that IFC and other studios follow with Queer stories as such, there is no need for franchises to be pumped out left and right when there are stories such as Monica that need to be told.
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