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Review : I’m Your Woman (2020)

Substance is what brings viewers in for return viewing, but style has always served as the hook for films.  With technology allowing new doors to be opened for most every aspect of film production, it has been interesting to see many directors choose to make stylistic renaissance pieces that hearken back to older eras of Hollywood and independent filmmaking.  The United States found itself particularly relevant in the 1970s as directors thrived in the new freedoms allowed by the studio system crumbling under their own budgetary house of cards built on formulaic safety.  The gritty new style and realism of the new stories being told helped birth a cinematic voice that inspired and opened doors for legions of directors, so it’s no surprise to see modern day directors paying homage to the era while exploring new stories to tell within the framework.  Amazon Prime recently scored a winner in the form of I’m Your Woman, the latest film from actress and filmmaker Julia Hart.

Jean (Rachel Brosnahan) is a housewife who is physically unable to have kids, and due to her husband Eddie’s (Bill Heck) criminal past, the couple cannot adopt.  Jean’s life is as normal as the housewife of a criminal can be until two life-altering events occur : Eddie appears with a mysterious unnamed baby he gifts to Jean, and shortly after, he mysteriously disappears.  On the night he vanishes, Jean is woken and put under the care of Cal (Arinzé Kene), an equally mysterious individual with a penchant for protection.  Scared, confused and burdened with the task of raising a completely unexpected and unplanned baby, Jean finds herself thrust into a life or death matter with no clarity in regards to the stakes involved or whom to trust.

Thriller movies and noir films are a staple of cinema, and neo-noir is finding its footing these days, with films like Drive and You Were Never Really Here standing as shining examples of how the style boundaries can be pushed.  Using the stakes and tone of modern thrillers and throwing a golden age thriller/suspense skin on top of it blurs style lines and warps our perspective, which in turn helps with the escapism aspect of film.  I’m Your Woman is a period piece neo-noir film with a character study at its core, meaning that the film is not dependent on exploitation and sensationalist elements to sustain.  The danger presented is certainly paid off throughout the film, but it is not the driving force of the film… substantial room is given for Jean to grow and change while we as viewers cheer for Harry’s survival and Cal’s heroics.

The true stroke of genius comes in pairing the adventure of new motherhood (especially such a unique circumstance as a mystery baby) with the unexpected nature of your husband going missing and your life being put in danger by an unidentified enemy.  Either of these situations would be enough to serve as tension fuel for a film, but mixing them together is a classic recipe for a potential “bad situation made worse” thriller.  Putting an average individual into a life-threatening situation is a classic hero’s journey arc, as character is forced upon them, so mixing it with the dire educational and supportive circumstance that is nursing, raising and protecting a child makes the arc much more substantial.

Outside of the fact that it (seemingly) is not shot on film, I’m Your Woman has all the proper earmarks of the era its style emulates, and they are done with the precision that comes with veteran guidance and a seasoned hand.  The piano-driven main theme and additional scoring elements hearken back to the noir films of the late 1950s and early 1960s, with slights synthesized touches as a reminder that the film is actually a modern day creation.  Modern day hindsight serves as a benefit for the application of era-specific songs as a soundtrack.  The color timing bathes the film in rich red, orange and gold tones, warming up the proceedings in the way that film would have back in the day.  The costuming is simple but effective in terms of capturing the 1970s, and sets a good lead, allowing the hairstyles, vehicles, location and other smaller production design choices further immerse the viewers into the period.  The narrative pacing is steady, doling out information purely on a need to know basis, which allows the mystery to play out while we hang out in hopes of fuller understanding.

Watching Rachel Brosnahan evolve from an ornament to an intuitive woman with agency is a wonderful journey, especially as she plays the journey with a very cool and composed front that only breaks at the most vulnerable moments.  Arinzé Kene imposes (in the least aggressive way that word can be used) a presence that stands as a wise protector, with that character serving as a shield that hides those he loves and cares for.  The reveal of Marsha Stephanie Blake and Frankie Faison help reinforce the feeling in Kene’s character subtext, with their strong will reemphasizing both his own will and the dilemma we see him process internally.  Bill Heck pours tons of charm on top of his intrigue, showing the characteristics of a hot shot without falling into stock grand gestures or tropes.  Marceline Hugot uses the old nosey lady trope to toss random suspicion into a volatile mixture to great effect.

Had I seen this film prior to my 2020 highlights list, this one certainly would have been included in the Honorable Mentions section… perhaps it would have even found itself in realms of the last few spots on the Top 15, or a shoo-in for a Top 20 list.  Seeing films like this are refreshing, as new perspectives in familiar genres almost always yield surprisingly bold and intriguing outcomes.  

[melodymunson]

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jamesmcmenamin replied to your post: Does anyone know what degree of coronary arterial...

It’s been over 2 years since I studied cardiology but between 50-70% seems to ring a bell. Not sure though.

Thank you! I'm finding kinda similar stuff online but nothing definitive. (Context - we've been given an autopsy report and have to fill in a death certificate and choose one reference that backs up what we think. He fell from Salisbury Crags and has a lot of left side rib/spinal injuries but also has >75% narrowing in the left main coronary artery so I'm thinking that he maybe had a heart attack and fell? - But then I have the problem of deciding if he died from the heart attack or had a heart attack which caused him to fall and he died from impact).