Tully - Official Movie Review

Tully starring Charlize Theron, Mackenzie Davis and Ron Livingston directed by Jason Reitman is reviewed by Christy Lemire, Matt Atchity and Alonso Duralde. This clip is brought to you in partnership with atomtickets.com. Use code WTF5 for $5 off your first purchase!
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A new comedy from Academy Award (R)-nominated director Jason Reitman ("Up in the Air") and Academy Award (R)-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody ("Juno"). Marlo (Academy Award (R) winner Charlize Theron), a mother of three including a newborn, is gifted a night nanny by her brother (Mark Duplass). Hesitant to the extravagance at first, Marlo comes to form a unique bond with the thoughtful, surprising, and sometimes challenging young nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis).
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[@aarond9563]

Why do people always have so many problems with plot twists! They contextualize and uncover all the movie in a beautiful way at times. This is one of those times.

[@h.haydon8044]

I like Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody's work. I throughly enjoyed Young Adult. I really want to see Tully

[@collindysart6472]

Young Adult is a masterpiece. The main character is so complex and Theron plays her brilliantly.

[@TheSomeawesome]

^^ Watch it, get the twist, and watch it again. Dialogue gets much more clever when you know the ending.

[@jjmaster322]

Lol she actually does have to walk with a cane at the end of the film

[@louisaparker]

I loved the twist ending. The movie would have been good without it, but the ending made it even better.

[@tworeel1248]

This movie was so beautiful! I loved the symbolism of the dreams throughout the film

[@boquintana9668]

Two Reel me too! the water dreams were pretty straightforward to me but the scene where her son is kicking her chair in the car was interesting: do you think it has to do with the “your own best friend” line that she mentions at the beginning of the movie, and ligers until the end?

[@tworeel1248]

Omg that part was so good, and the way they close up on her face! I was like someone help her, she is so tired! lol. Wow, I never thought about that being connected to that line, but that makes so much sense;She really had to be her own best friend through the entire film. I'm going to be thinking about this all weekend now haha

[@LPantelakos]

Alonso is wrong. Christy and especially Matt are right. I watched it last night, and it gets even better the more I think about it.

[@El_oh7199]

The Juror I agree with Alonso in that the 3rd act plot development is unnecessary and undermines everything that comes before

[@LPantelakos]

Logansolo Howlett-Jones That turn adds a whole new level to what came before it. It's like viewing the material through fresh eyes.

[@UncleMeggie]

Breast pump noise sent shivers down my spine. Flashback to when my daughter was a newborn.

[@caxzrockz]

scariest movie i have ever seen Texas chain saw has nothing on this loved it

[@squatch545]

A couple of years ago there was a movie called Sully with Tom Hanks. Now there's Tully.

[@stephenmalovski313]

And there's also house Tully in Game Of Thrones

[@o_o942]

I agree with Alonso. My first reflex upon the revelation was "oh that was cheap" and I continued to feel that way when the movie walked us through the montage that spelled out what really happened all along. I likewise thought it was unnecessary. My reaction after that montage (but before the movie ended) was that I reflected on all their conversations. I appreciated those conversations SO much more after the revelation. Before the revelation, I thought that the younger self's sage wisdom and all-too perfect temperament made those conversations seem false (because of cinematic perfection). And that phonyness seemed to clash with the "reality of motherhood" thing the movie was going for. But then once their relationship is revealed, it's like oh that's exactly the kind of conversation I would have with younger myself. So now I'm thinking about whether there's a way to get those great conversations without feeling cheated by the gotcha moment. I think if we know from the start that the young version is a figment, the ride would still be the same and it might even amplify the audience's "wtf, husband. Step up" feeling so that there's more emotional resolution in the hospital (and at the sink). That is, if we know throughout that she's getting by by creating this secondary self, our empathy for that will make us judge the husband more and tweak the payoff a little. It'll also make the "too perfect" more credible because we'll know that these conversations are her way of working this stuff out in her head. Even the mermaid thing would still work (I think).

[@schmoab]

She put on 50 lbs for this. Charlize is the new Christian Bale.

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

Ummm.....no

[@timothyw98]

MacKenzie Davis is brilliant in Haut Catch Fire, an amazing show no one seems to be talking about.

[@TheSomeawesome]

Single most underrated show. Glad she's gotten more attention since Black Mirror, though.

[@christochristo6245]

I LOVED this movie. Favorite Reitman film since Juno.

[@dontliethetruth]

i hated juno and liked young adult a lot... interested in how's this gonna turn out... and did alonso just calculate an average of three decimal numbers in less than 3 secs??

[@auricgoldfinger9475]

Jason Reitman had been on a dry run since Up in the Air, I truly hope it's his return to form. I really like his movies, they've a different flavor to them.

[@aadityabhattacharya]

Auric Goldfinger I really loved him then he made that Kate Winslet film

[@JohnMcVay1]

I’m seeing this tomorrow. Interested to see whether or not I agree with Alonso about the spoiler.

[@sourcherry23]

I could already guess what was the surprise twist at the end (revelation) at the comments but still interested in seeing the whole film. Charlize Theron is a great actress.

[@anitaekka6454]

I really liked it favorite Rietman film since Up in the Air.

[@Neojhun]

I was impressed ever since Thank You For Smoking. Soo soo relevant to today's political climate.

[@anitaekka6454]

Thank you for smoking was great but i didn't really enjoy Juno and Young Adult.

[@timothyw98]

Theron changed so much to play Wournos in monster i barley regonised her.

[@nicolespringersings]

Alonso, did you finish the movie? If you did then it's completely understandable why that scene happened.

[@MrMoonpopm]

Exactly lol. I hated the scene as it happened and loved it after the reveal at the end. It just takes some minor thinking and i dont think this Alonso fella is capable of that

[@yotoffotographer]

Did Alonso just say "quotidien?" :)))

[@gee_emm]

i love that they flub and cringe when doing the inserted ads. it gives me faith in humanity! 😂🙏🏿

[@SCharlesDennicon]

A spoiler-free review is like a non-alcoholic beer : it's not necessarily awful, but it sure isn't necessary.

[@sudevsen]

Is this like Persona but for moms?

[@Generalbas1972]

that guy with the beard in the movie thats Martin Brygmann, Danish actor and muscian :D

[@MrEgray2009]

people act like babies just materialize in your stomach creating people is a choice.

[@shanellahutton6155]

Quick question (not Tully related): Are you all no longer reviewing The Walking Dead and Fear The Walking Dead?

[@jjmaster322]

Nella Michelle they stopped doing reviews almost every show except the americans and westworld

[@shanellahutton6155]

CameraGuy322 😔

[@BlackNerd94]

"I had a mom!"

[@somchaishanabi9197]

tully is not REAL. MARLO IS SUFFERING FROM POSTANTRUM DEPRESSION AND SHE IMAGINES EVERYTHING. tULLY IS ACTUALLY MARLO IN YOUNG AGE. THAT'S THE TWIST AFTER THE CAR ACCIDENT IN THE END..

[@Elayman1]

Marlo actually seems to be suffering from the EXTREMELY rare condition of Postpartum depression with features of psychosis. In real life she would be delusional, manic, hallucinating and talking about killing herself and her kid but for Tully of course it begins the process of finding her true self, the creative, liberated person she was always meant to be. Maybe that is what Cody meant when she said it was supposed to be 'uncomfortable' to watch.

[@cashaiesha]

Thank you for your review and telling me the end. Now im interested in the movie. 👏👏

[@freegadflyathome]

Diablo Cody seems to have a problem with things going so well ...as then NOOO for me. Juno and Young Adult both had that issue. I still really liked them both, but do we really always have to have the huge cringe moment?

[@MrGhettobunny96]

Sounds like a horror movie to me

[@GoogleUser-hp8qe]

Sometimes parenting can be exactly that - “horrible”.

[@junkazama50]

Awww. Sucks that Tara wasn't in this. :/

[@viddywell9903]

Yarbles!

[@2nd3rd1st]

Is this the movie about that nanny that crashed a pram into the Hudson River?

[@seancourtney5548]

8.6?

[@Chandasouk]

If I didn't like Young Adult, will I hate this movie too?

[@Natsteph]

Chandasouk I hated young adult and liked this movie

[@TheSomeawesome]

No. The two movies give off completely different vibes.

[@JJJJJVVVVVLLLLL]

Reitman and Cody movies are slicker than fake butter

[@hunterMH1]

This movie was pretty meh lol I’m honestly very surprised that y’all loved this. And I’m even more surprised that people are blown away by its originality cuz besides certain details of motherhood it wasn’t a game changer. The plot was bland and I swear I saw this movie coming from a million miles away (hint: fight club). please @ me

[@belfortjoachim2383]

Of course u were it’s a lesbian flick smh

[@kimberlyrobinson3992]

Great review, guys. You made the movie sound very interesting. Also, refreshingly, not one of you three said something that irritated me! Well, Matt never irritates me; I'm a ride or die chick for that man, full stop.

[@HeyJoshyJosh]

I watched this today and found it really boring even despite the twist at the end :/ My wife also disliked it despite experiencing first hand the troubles of having a newborn baby to constantly care for. I know some people love this film for its "realistic portrayal of motherhood", but I think the last thing me and my partner want to watch at the cinema is a film that is just like watching us live at home! Each to their own I suppose.

[@LoXHumaN]

predatoure I loved it because of the humor and chemistry between the characters.

[@Zucifer8]

Why choose to watch this film in the first place if you wanted an escape? I think a Fantasy film would be better, no?

[@scordero12]

exactly Alonso! The movie does not need that unnecessary threesome.

[@MrMoonpopm]

Santiago - I felt the same way until i realized it wasn't a threesome. Tully was an extension of herself. On screen it appeared as a threesome, to her husband it was just some spicy intercourse. Tully is Marlo's past self. She never existed. The only interaction "Tully" had with her husband was that one scene. And technically it was just two Marlo's having sex with her husband lol. It's a little confusing but basically in her mind it was a threesome. It was really Marlo dressed up as the waitress Did you get the twist?

[@TheSomeawesome]

^^ I went in there knowing the ending because I accidentally read it in an interview. That scene made sense in context of understanding that Marlo was accessing her younger, more carefree self (embodied in Tully) to regain that spark in her relationship with her husband. It's pretty darn clever.

[@MrMoonpopm]

The Someawesome - you got it! The movie friggin Fight Club'd us and i personally didnt see it coming. I cant wait to see it again knowing Tully is just her alter ego/past self

[@TheSomeawesome]

dothest thou even hoist The dialogue is a joy to witness when you know what's going on.

[@TheSighphiguy]

so the hosts go through the process of NOT giving a spoiler and then i have to go and read the comments. thanks guys even though i had guessed what the spoiler was.

[@3tobin]

I know I'm not the target audience, but jeez, this film sounds like the last thing I would want to see. No one is forced to have children. Why exactly should I care about oh so horrible self-inflicted plight of motherhood?

[@badquestion4785]

Tobin Erwin Someday u are going to make a wonderful husband and father. So u dismiss this movie bc she made a choice to have kids? Guess what? Everything in life is a choice. Even staying alive, ultimately, is a choice. So, by your own logic, any movie that explores any aspect of human existence should be dismissed. Which means that all movies should be dismissed. Because, at their core, all movies are about human choices.

[@umarbajwa101]

Lol there's nothing wrong with doing a good thing that's difficult and needing some help with it.

[@SkolneyVikings]

Sadly your mother made her choice

[@LoXHumaN]

Tobin Erwin don't watch it then

[@ZenStrive52]

huh, an autistic kid in the movie? Gotta watch

[@schmoab]

He was clearly autistic. I’m not sure why they refused to label him as such.

[@MrMoonpopm]

schmoab - i was like that as a kid and im not autistic my mans. Movies dont have to label shit. We're smart enough to piece things together. If you want to believe he's autistic, go for it. You cant really tell what a kids deal is til they're older. Im glad they didnt outright say it. It sucks when kids are told they have something they might not have From ages 8 to 18 my counseler pumped me full of Zoloft because he thought i had severe anxiety. I was anxious as an 8 year old, not as a teenager, but i was already hooked. Diagnosing kids is a dangerous game. I'm 21 now and im still readjusting to life without zoloft. Besides, autism is near impossible to properly diagnose. Having a scene pointing out he's autistic wouldve been pointless and it wouldve dragged the movie down

[@decafcoffee73]

Total womans movie? Would I still like it if I saw it by myself? A man. Whats better? Solo or this?

[@farhanmarco7827]

decafcoffee73 this

[@decafcoffee73]

Farhan Marco Solo was blah

[@dfcintron]

This is better. And i liked solo

[@jacobelis79]

Do "humans" still like watching these hipster movies?

[@LoXHumaN]

Jack Brown yes it was good

[@tophers3756]

Seeing the trailer and the bubble gum pink font screams that this is a movie that won't appeal to most men.

[@lilith1493]

Topher S how to vanquish a vampire: a stake in the heart. How to vanquish a werewolf: a silver bullet. How to vanquish an insecure man: pink

[@wmmiles00]

Yet somehow I enjoyed it

[@roter13]

Can we bring back the lady from last week and get rid of Alonso permanently. He's so condescending when he speaks.

[@denisdesmond6585]

I totally agree with everything the centre guy with beard and glasses said about this movie I saw this movie today and I hated it. The movie would`ve been brilliant if Tully wasn't in it and they continued down the dysfunctional family path. The nanny glaring at Charlize Thorn while shes breastfeeding Charlize Thorn being totally ok with that, what happens on the backdrop of someone putting on a diner waitress uniform and things that just spiral out of control from there onwards - Horrendous and way-way-way too much for an ask for the audience to accept all of that total ridiculousness. I thought it totally insulted the viewers' intelligence throwing such utter shit at us and expecting us to just go along with it

[@MrMoonpopm]

You know the nanny wasnt real right? Tully was in her head. That explains away every complaint you had

[@scordero12]

change your score comparison to Metacritic's

[@freedomordust2957]

Movie is trash

[@hdrk59]

Holy crap ..this movie was awful.

[@sleepyearth]

Boy?

[@mr.smithgnrsmith7808]

Feminazi trash