TUESDAY – A Review by Jenn Rohm
What is a mother to do when she feels like all is lost? Her job is gone, her daughter is dying and needs care, and there is no help. She sells off items from upstairs, where her daughter can no longer go, to continue to pay for home health care and leaves the house to escape reality. Tuesday is the story of one possibility.
Tuesday, Lola Petticrew, knows the macaw (aka death/grim reaper) has come for her. She is almost ready to go but wants to say goodbye to her mother first. She decides to tell a joke to gain a favor. Tuesday then offers care to Death, which others have not done, and he agrees to give her some time. Nurse Billie, Leah Harvey, tells Zora, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, her daughter needs some time with her. And the rest of the movie is about how they spend that time together.
This feature debut by London-trained filmmaker Daina Oniunas-Pusic is a unique look at death. The representation of death is a macaw that can change in size from as small as an earbud to over 10 feet tall. He is self-aware, often misunderstood, and has the weight of the voices of the dying bearing down on him. All of this is taken from the film context: the words spoken by Arinzé Kene, the movements provided via digital performance, the sound of voices and their silence, all the details add up to tell more than the script itself gives. What Oniunas-Pusic pulled out of Louis-Dreyfus will hopefully have others wanting to work with her.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus has been coming into her own these last few years, providing performances that not only make us laugh but also make us feel real everyday emotions. The wanting to have a moment away from this pressing reality she is facing, the guilt for wanting to escape, the brief moment of escape, facing the reality of change coming, and the strength of a Mother who will do anything to protect their child are just a few of the emotions I went through with the character. This wasn’t just watching and knowing what the character was feeling; I was also feeling the feelings.
Cinematographer Alexis Zabe helped with the visuals of the dark and sorrowful parts of life while there is still beauty around us. Enjoy the joyful moments and treasure those memories. Then, bravely walk into the dark, ready to battle and protect. When it is time to accept reality, feel what you need to feel.
This is a movie that is going to split people into groups that love the film and don’t like it. There isn’t an in-between area. I applaud Oniunas-Pusic for taking on a part of life many avoid, giving it the grace and care it deserves.
Director: Daina Oniunas-Pusic
Written By: Daina Oniunas-Pusic
Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lola Petticrew, Leah Harvey
MPAA Rating: Rated R for language.
Genres: Drama, Fantasy
Selig Rating: 4 stars
Runtime: 1h 50m
Release Date: June 14, 2024
Trailer: TUESDAY official trailer
Website: TUESDAY website
The Selig Rating Scale:
5 Stars – Excellent movie/show, well worth the time and price.
4 Stars – Good movie/show
3 Stars – OK movie/show
2 Stars – Well, there was nothing else…
1 Star – Total waste of time.
