When they say motherhood is a thankless job, there probably isn’t an example that looks as intense as the upcoming film, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. A24 releases the new trailer for the film, which stars Rose Byrne in what’s being called “a tour de force” performance. The dark and heavy film also surprisingly co-stars Conan O’Brien, who is very rarely seen in a straight-up acting role and, even rarer, playing a serious character. He would recently be seen in a rare movie appearance in Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain. However, here he is acting in a relatively dramatic part.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You stars Rose Byrne, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Lark White, Ivy Wolk, Daniel Zolghadri, Delaney Quinn and A$AP Rocky. The film is written and directed by Mary Bronstein. The official synopsis reads, “With her life crashing down around her, Linda (Rose Byrne) attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.”
Our Chris Bumbray got to see the movie at Sundance and said, “While it’s not a horror movie, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is the scariest movie playing at Sundance this year. A depiction of how motherhood can occasionally seem oppressive, this is the pitch-black nightmare version of the ultimately reassuring Nightbitch. Written and directed by Mary Bronstein, this intense, grim, but also darkly humorous film will likely be a controversial release for A24, with it playing out like a descent into madness that offers no reassuring moments of catharsis.”
His review was a glowing one and he mentions, “Produced by Josh Safdie, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You has the same kind of stressful, nightmarish energy evident in Uncut Gems and Good Time. Linda’s descent is extreme and never lets up. Parents might find themselves cringing throughout, while folks thinking of starting a family might want to avoid this one, as it’s not the most glowing endorsement for parenthood I’ve ever seen. The movie makes it seem like a nightmare, but I’m sure it can sometimes feel that way for some people, leaving this as a movie that should strike a chord for many. It’s not a film I’d call enjoyable, as it’s a harrowing journey to go along on, but it’s challenging, immersive, and well worth checking out.”
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