Child birth is said to be the most painful thing to endure, but it is also said that once the pain is done, there's a sudden euphoria not because the pain is over but when a mother sees and holds her baby that she has been carrying for nine months it's almost as if nothing can compare that kind of feeling. Pieces of a Woman shows that in its glorious opening 30 minute long take of an excruciating home birth, when Martha (a brilliant Vanessa Kirby) goes through that type of pain and then happiness, but sadly pain again as her baby sadly perishes. Just a fair warning, this film will break you apart as Martha perpetually isolates herself with constant pain and emotion and Kirby's performance is brilliant through it all. But sadly after the opening act it's almost as if the film is left running on fumes, it runs out of energy, granted the performances are great through it all but there's a lot of stuff to get through and it's almost as if producer Martin Scorsese ran out of steam half way through. The direction is good, the writing is good and the performances are outstanding but that's all that Pieces of a Woman has on show. It's provocative enough to keep you engaged, to elicit such a strong subject as child loss and the conversations after the final credits will certainly be enough to enrage a controversial if not an undermining tone, but the film does that on its own. If this was to be a piece to show what happens during child birth, the motionless latter half should be left out, only keep the opening. As ultimately at the film's climax we're left with A+ acting and nothing else. 3/5. It's good for a one time watch.
Review of Pieces of a Woman
