Writer/director Amy Koppelman brings her original novel to the screen in the powerful film A Mouthful of Air. Combining her knowledge of the subject of postpartum depression and outstanding performances by the lead actors results in a nearly perfect yet disturbing movie about an issue that is often taboo.
Julie Davis (Amanda Seyfried) is a bestselling author of children's books about facing your fears. But she hasn't overcome her own, as postpartum depression and debilitating anxiety set in when her first child is born. Attempting to take her own life, Julie manages to recover with the support of her husband Ethan (Finn Wittrock), her therapist (Paul Giamatti), and medication. As her family's lives together progress, Julie discovers she is pregnant again. This time, unresolved incidents in her childhood haunt her and her capability of coping with being a good wife and mother.
The script is a solid and often unsettling one. The subject matter is difficult, often not spoken about because of the stigma associated with the supposed weakness of not feeling like a supermom. But Koppelman manages it through both her writing and direction. She pulls subtle moments and expressions from the leads that go a long way to telling the reality behind depression and anxiety. A brilliant performance by Seyfried supplements this. Her ability to illustrate the wide range of emotions associated with these illnesses is impeccable. Wittrock's portrayal supports this - very much like a husband supports a wife facing this type of pain. He is loving, pained, and occasionally fallible in his power to keep everything together. The level of believability these two bring to the screen holds the entire concept together. As the spiteful, completely lacking understanding or empathy sister Lucy, Jennifer Carpenter adds to the underlying feeling of discomfort. This isn't an easy film to watch, nor should it be. The subject is painful, and the expertise behind the writer/director and actors makes it all the more so. But this skill makes the story both bearable and enlightening.
A soundtrack that most would consider more suited to a psychological horror or noir feature supplements the film. Even though it seems more appropriate to something sinister, composers John Gürtler and Jan Miserre make it fit perfectly. It both sets the mood and the undercurrent of wrongness, no matter how right things seem to go.
A Mouthful of Air is not a movie to watch for light entertainment. It is a serious film addressing some very harsh and often unspoken realities. But bringing them to bear is important because, like children's perceived monsters, the light of day might make a difference. Even so, for both Julie and the audience, the sensation of drowning is genuine.