Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong
If you told me a feature debut starring Julia-Louis Dreyfus would be one of my favourite movies of the year, I would never have believed it! TUESDAY still hasn’t left my brain weeks after seeing it. Director Dania Oniunas-Pusic manages to pull off with their heartbreaking beautiful Fantasy-Horror film, which makes the audience look at grief in a completely new way and will destroy them in more ways than one.
The Movie focues on Tuesday (Lola Petticrew) as she is facing the terrifying reality that she is going to die young. She is sick and we’re never told exactly what she is sick with, but she struggles with daily tasks and the illness is terminal. Her mother, Zora (Julia-Louis Dreyfus) doesn’t want to acknowledge her daughter’s illness and accept the fact that she is nearing her final days. She pretends to go on about her day, hiding from Tuesday that she lost her job while Nurse Billie (Leah Harvey) is taking care of Tuesday during the day. However, everything changes when Death (Arinze Kene) makes their presence known in the form of a majestical bird. While coming to terms with her reality, Tuesday pleads with Death so she can say goodbye to her mom, but Zora refuses to believe that death is at their door or that it is Tuesday’s time. That is until Death decides to reveal itself and Zora tries to take things into her own hands to ensure that Tuesday doesn’t leave this world before Zora is ready for her to.
Dania Oniunas-Pusic not only crafts a beautifully heartbreaking story, but also manages to direct it with such precision and effortless that this soars beyond any expectations imaginable. There is so much nuance and craft put in Tuesday that it feels like it comes from a veteran of the craft and not someone putting forth their first feature effort. Truly an exploration of grief unlike anything seen before.
Julia-Louis Dreyfus excels in her role as Zora in Tuesday delivering one is arguably a career highlight and one that deserves all of the recognition that should be coming her way. A character so centralized and created in grief, acceptance, perseverance, and exhaustion that cannot be contained in a singular emotion or word. Her performance alone shines and excels in ways that she hasn’t touched upon before – a downright masterful performance that will be a benchmark for the rest of her career. However it is not only Julia that shines, Lola Petticrew and Arinze Kene are both astonishing and incredible in their roles as well. Lola who has the task of the playing the titular Tuesday and has to accept her fate while dealing with that burden and her mothers refusal to accept the fate that awaits her. Meanwhile, Arinze Kene playing Death with such nuance and grace that has rarely been seen with the trait and reality. The entire ensemble comes together to create a beautiful heartbreaking story that will linger with audiences significantly after the credits roll.
Tuesday is one of this year’s best movies, full stop. There is nothing else that has come out this year or recently that compares to Tuesday and the emotional package it carries and delivers. Daina Oniunas-Pusic brings forth one of the most heartbreaking movies, echoing the great Blue Valentine and deals with grief in a way audiences haven’t yet quite seen.
Sphere Films Canada release TUESDAY in theatres on Friday, June 14, 2024.
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