What it feels like to raise a murderer (MASS 2022)

photo credit: Sundance. 

“I yelled at him, 

You have to start working, if you can’t be happy at least, you can do well. 

He screamed at me, I don’t want to be happy, I don’t want to do well. 

Why? I yelled. Why?

Then we were screaming at each other. We were both so sad and we were afraid. I don’t know why, but then he said, 

get out before I hit you, get out before I beat the shit out of you. I swear to God, it was terrifying. I went to my room and then I locked the door.

Gail! I wished I had let him. I wish I had said, okay, hit me. You hit me sweetheart for as long as you would ever need. Because then, I would have known. I would have known who he truly was.” 

A debut of film writer/director, Fran Kranz released in January 2022 by Bleecker Street, MASS stars Jason Issacs, Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton, and Reed Birney as parents who agree to meet at a neutral venue, an episcopalian church, six years after a tragedy involving the murder of the child of one of both parents by the other’s, in order to seek closure, forgiveness, and healing.

The very publicized social media trial of the murder of a Nigerian secondary school boarding house student in a very popular private secondary school in Lagos (see story here),(and here) prompted me to check this one out because, I was curious to understand the dynamics surrounding this kind of situation and how a victim’s family would be able to move on from a tragedy of a slightly similar nature. 

While this film refuses to exploit the theme of bullying as an example of one of the influences that can trigger teen violence, this film rather chooses to focus on gun violence to explore mental illness, parenting, depression, isolation, video game addiction, anger, guilt, grief, and loss through a compelling screenplay fueled by gut wrenching performances and naturally flowing uncomfortable dialogue.

 Knowing the premise of this film, the first 20 mins fills the viewer with intense anxiety as we watch Michelle N. Carter, who plays the role of a representative or therapist of some sort, inspect the venue where the two couples we are expecting would be spending the remaining 90 minutes for this very critical meeting. By the time they arrive, the authenticity of the awkwardness surrounding such a difficult situation permeates the screen onto the viewer. The hesitation to pull through with the meeting, the eventual coming together of both parties, and after they settle in, the exchange of pictures and stories about their current life, the excruciating political small talk and then, things get ‘real’ quickly as one of the moms makes the bombshell statement,

 “Why do I wanna know everything about your son? Well, because he killed mine.” 

This turns the meeting into a gut-wrenching confrontation as we follow the couples through the different pallets of emotions that carries the film to the final resolution, as they all part ways and a church choir’s solemn singing fills the screen and the camera pans into an open field at night as the screen fades to black. 

Image credit: Sundance. 

The chemistry between Mr. Issacs and Ms. Plimpton is so authentic you feel so moved by their pain. The different changes in emotions shared between them and the graphic expositions they share about the event that led to their present situation gives the film a documentary feel, making it seem like what you are watching is happening in real time. Ann Dowd also shines as the mother of the child murderer. Her guilt-stricken, honest and open-minded personality annoys, endears, and saddens the viewer that by the end of the film, the viewer comes to the realization that both parents are all victims in this horrific situation that binds them together. Lovers of stage plays would love this as well because the film also gives off the vibe of a stage play adaptation. There are no nude scenes or graphic images shared but the subject matter is a very heavy one so empathetic viewers should take note. 

Have you seen this film? pls share your thoughts below. 

                                                                                                            written by God'sownM