I Killed My Mother. 2009

The thing is that Xavier Dolan was only 19 years old when he wrote, directed and starred in this his first film “I Killed My Mother” which tells the story of a young 16 year old boy coming of age and coming out as gay in Montreal. Dolan started writing the script when he was just 17 years old and made the film two years later, which is something because the film is beautifully made and is no video (I almost said Super 8 which really dates me) home movie or something you might see on Youtube. This is a work of an accomplished filmmaker. There are no physical murders here, no Psycho killer, but there are plenty of psychological battles fought between Hubert and his recently divorced mother played brilliantly by Anne Dorval. No doubt the film, which was very well received at Cannes winning 3 awards, is somewhat autobiographical, how much so I don’t know, but it’s a bruising experience that most viewers regardless of sexual identity and orientation can relate to. This boy who is handsome, touching, sad and sensitive is also brutish, rude and unfeeling at times, his story rings true, and while we mostly root for this boy we also want to at times smack him across the face. He’s especially nasty and impossible when tearing apart his mother for how she dresses and her tacky taste in home furnishings. True her garments are ridiculous, loud and vulgar but she’s hardly Stella Dallas and is his offense over them really necessary. Then again one can excuse him for his trespasses, he is after all a teenager but his mother is hardly a monster, hardly a “Momie Dearest” and his sometimes foul treatment of her really hurts, it cuts to the bone. He has a boyfriend a very attractive and smart teenager whose mother is totally accepting of his sexuality and relationship with Hubert but can be at times as big a pain in the ass as Hubert’s mother who has no idea of his sexual preferences and will learn of them in an uncomfortable and awkward way. However I should point out that there is also a strong bond and love between them as in one scene late at night when he tells her “I love you, I’m telling you so you won’t forget.” My heart broke.