If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, 2025.
Directed by Mary Bronstein.
Starring Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, A$AP Rocky, Christian Slater.
SYNOPSIS:
While trying to manage her own life and career, a woman on the verge of a breakdown must cope with her daughter’s illness, an absent husband, a missing person, and an unusual relationship with her therapist.
Rose Byrne has had a highly eclectic career over the past 25 years from blockbusters like the X-Men series, Star Wars: Attack of the Clones and the Insidious franchise. Following a shift towards romcoms with Bridesmaids she’s not been given as many leading roles as you might think, but that has changed with If I Had Legs I’d Kick You which has generated a serious amount of buzz for her performance including BAFTA and Oscar nominations. Mary Bronstein’s black comedy is built entirely around Byrne’s performance as Linda whose world has spiralled out of control following the roof caving in in her rented house and having to care for a seriously ill daughter.
First and foremost attention should go to this performance, as so little of the film has Byrne off screen and we really feel her frustration and fatigue. It is a difficult film to describe, shifting from comedy to almost horror with shades of thriller but Byrne is there through it all, her performance shifting to meet the tonal juxtaposition. She really showcases the range she has developed across her career and is more than worthy of the awards conversation.
Writer-director Mary Bronstein makes this a stressful watch as Linda’s situation goes from bad to worse, barely keeping her personal and professional lives together in the absence of her husband Charles (Christian Slater). Conan O’Brien is a fine foil as Linda’s therapist, a small but fun role showing a side to him we haven’t seen much of previously. After his scene-stealing turn in Highest 2 Lowest, A$AP Rocky once again shows he has plenty of acting potential as Linda’s neighbour James from the motel they are forced to stay in.
Bronstein’s husband, Ronald, one of the writers of Marty Supreme and that film’s director Josh Safdie, are producers of this film. There are certainly some comparisons to be drawn to Safdie’s own awards contender in terms of the tonal shifts and layered characters. However, it should be said that this comparison isn’t meant as a criticism of If I Had Legs.
It may be a hard sell but If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is worthy of the praise generated by Rose Byrne’s performance and also marks Mary Bronstein out as a filmmaker to keep an eye on, balancing the tonal shifts perfectly and keeping us on tenterhooks throughout.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Chris Connor
