Jennifer Lawrence is the second youngest actress to win an Academy Award, at the age of 22. She won her Oscar for her role in the 2012 film, Silver Linings Playbook, and since then, the Joy actress has only taken on roles with significant acting potential. One such film was the 2017 release, Mother!, her only release of that year.

The controversial film was directed by Darren Aronofsky, who was known for exploring psychological themes, often with violent and disturbing elements. mother! was no different, as it ventured into biblical allegories and disturbing violence that triggered a severe backlash.

Darren Aronofsky’s Themes For The Jennifer Lawrence Film Irked Some Audiences

Jennifer Lawrence with Darren Aronofsky

In Mother!, Jennifer Lawrence played a young wife who becomes uncomfortable with the unwelcome guests invading her home. The Don’t Look Up actress experienced a rough time preparing for the Darren Aronofsky film. Lawrence had to undergo three months of intense rehearsal in a Brooklyn warehouse, to prepare for the role, during which she even hyperventilated. However, her performance and the film didn’t sit well with some sections of the audience.

Darren Aronofsky, who briefly dated Lawrence after the movie, received hate mail regarding the film. People could not agree with Aronofsky’s depiction of themes, that explored the exploitation of Mother Nature by invading humans. The Black Swan director attended the El Gouna Film Festival, where he responded to reporters about Mother! (via Variety):
“We were nervous about how controversial it was going to be, but then when you release a movie to the world, and there’s so many angry people, you start to wonder, ‘Hold on, what did I do?’ I get some of the best hate mail ever, which is great.”
mother! was received with mass walkouts when it was released in theaters in 2017. The critical reception was generally positive and the film collected $44.5 million against a budget of $30 million at the box office.

Darren Aronofsky Films Typically Get Such Polarizing Reactions

Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence in Mother!

Darren Aronofsky even shared how one viewer got his number and texted him. The irritated viewer threatened to consume more coal and unleash destruction upon the planet. It’s no wonder the director found these hate mail somewhat amusing. Interestingly, Aronofsky is no stranger to such polarizing responses from the audience.

His earlier films, including Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain, received strong critical reviews but divided audience reactions. The films received a cult following in later years, and the director continued to deliver acclaimed movies like The Wrestler and Black Swan. More recently, Aronofsky explored the topic of morbid obesity in his 2022 film, The Whale, starring Brendan Fraser.

For those fans who are prepared for the disturbing themes of Mother!, the movie is now available for streaming on Paramount Plus.

Source: Variety