I Killed My Mother

A reviewer was bit mislead with a product description telling about mother-son strangled relationship. Why for? Because such an affair is sadly very common between modern teens and their predecessors while computing advanced abilities to deploy innovative gadgets younger generations are usually better with to access volumes of information personal and for job performing surely. The story is trivial one. Separated couple's 16 y.o. offspring residues with a busy mother enjoying her free time in a company of emancipated like-one in modern French Canada, where sex is on a shelf as much as any other of produces demanded by a public. Whatever young male adult offers and suggests had been met with a superior ignorance of an older, wiser and experienced parent towards kid's blabbing. And willingness simply to highlight own sovereign place of OLDer is resulted in doing everything opposite the son offering. A very traditional inter-generation situation except a young male happened being same gender attracted forming relationship with a classmate. I did not get a title properly because hatred towards mother is regrettable ungrounded feeling of a young 20+y.o. man-"like-others" this DVD purchase was aiming his mother for, but I will think more after recent watching before presenting to.

its a shame i cant mark this higher than 10 because i just finished watching this and i found it as an amazing piece of work that portrayed the complexities of which many people would see as a normal relationship. i honestly loved this film and i'am very particular about how a person is developed in a storyline and how everything works and this semi- autobiography brought together everything i love in a film. it is quite sad though that it only got released in a couple countries because film now deserves something that can reach different aspects of peoples lives with great acting. it does sound like i'am over reacting but you have to watch the film to know why i reiterate how good it is. this is a must watch

J'ai tué ma mère (2009) is the first film of Xavier Dolan realized a decade ago. I lately discovered it in order to complete the filmography of this brilliant Quebec director. This film focuses on the stormy and tempestuous relationship between a son and his mother, and turns out to be an autofiction, the autobiographical part remaining undisclosed, as in any secret garden. We distinctively perceive the characteristic atmosphere of Xavier Dolan's filmography: as an excellent habit, this dark and sensual film is based on a hyper sensitivity and a keen sense of photography. Usually, most of the characters are on edge or even disturbed. In this movie, Hubert Minel is the only one. As if, in this partially autobiographical work, Xavier Dolan wanted to assume alone the chaos emanating from this extreme mother-son relationship. In this respect, it's quite successful: he is indeed sometimes an assh*le and deeply disrespectful with his mum and one almost wants to slap him. An elegant way to publicly and solemnly ask for the forgiveness of his tender mother. As actors, Anne Dorval , Xavier Dolan and Suzanne Clément are truly excellent. As a director, Xavier Dolan offers us a high-quality first film.

I have never disliked a character more than I disliked Hubert. Whiny, self-righteous, disrespectful brat. His self entitlement overtakes the majority of the movie and I just mentally switched off. I just wanted to give him a smack for the whole movie. Anne Dorval did a brilliant job as the mother.

This is one of those movies I had heard about some 10 years ago when it came out and since Anne Dorval has a big role and she could never give a bad performance even if she wanted to, I was mostly looking forward to finally watching this supposedly wonderful movie. At least, from reading the amazingly flattering reviews, I was led to believe this was some magic piece of cinema. Boy, was I in for a huge letdown. To say I hated this movie would not be strong enough. When I saw before watching that the lead actor was also the director and writer, I was a bit apprehensive because Xavier Dolan born in 1989 sounded very young and directing a movie is no easy task but I was all set to give it a fair shot. Withing a few minutes, I was already annoyed and aggravated by his voice, his acting, his demeanor and the way he put himself into practically every frame. I understand that Dolan is portraying the angst of a teenager but he is so hideous and dreadful as Hubert Minel, screaming and berating his mother while throwing temper tantrums that would be more fitting for a 2 year old. The story was boring, tedious and went nowhere. I will never understand why this movie got so many wonderful reviews and even though all the actors except Dolan were quite competent, the director and main protagonist is so abrasive and unbearable that it made my journey into this universe very painful. The only redeeming quality is Anne Dorval who as I already stated is probably one of the best actress in Quebec and her portrayal is solid yet even her magic couldn't make this movie tolerable. I guess I am totally different from most critics who got enamored with this dreadful movie but I could not in good conscience recommend it to anyone and felt compelled to say my piece. 1 star is the most I can give this terrible film (for Anne Dorval) and even though I know that some might not understand how I came to loathe it so much, somehow it's connected to the narcissism I felt from the director who put himself into every scene making it all about him and his journey which made it particularly awful for me to sit through. Teenagers are often that way but such an extremely unlikable character makes it very difficult for the viewers to care and I for one was relieved when this awful mess was finally over. And the ending is such an asinine one that I personally just felt liberated from the agony of having experienced such an abomination.

Wow... what can I say... I first saw Xavier Dolan's movie "Les Amours Imaginaires" which I rather loved. Without knowing Dolan's name, or knowing he was the guy also acting in the movie. But that film was so lyrical and full of visual poetry. And then this first movie of his: "J'ai tué ma mère"... has twice the intensity of Les Amours Imaginaires. It is all just so heart felt, so open so totally vulnerable. And yet so confident. I envy Xavier Dolan. The man has a talent, a voice that has to be heard. And already at his age. The man is a true artist. I have never seen such a beautiful movie about a young man, not yet of legal age, who is trying to be his own man, who is trying to find his own identity apart from his emotional incapable mother. They stopped being mother and son long ago and became more of a married couple with their petty little fights. She wanting to control her son by unconsciously manipulating him, as if he was her equal partner (i.e. her divorced husband), instead of a young boy that still needs love and guidance. At the end it becomes clear that his lover Antonin whom Hubert declares his love to, is in a way a male version of his mother. He only says 'je t'aime' to the guy when he, just like Hubert's mother, is picking him up by his car, brings his clothes and is declaring that he feels like some servant and that Hubert does not care about what will happen to him at school etc.. Hubert subconsciously recognizes this behaviour from his mother and it is then, when he declares his love for Antonin. And Hubert's mother finally stands up for her son, and thus is really, actively declaring her love for him when she tells the director of the boarding school what she really thinks of him, and thus giving her son actual motherly support. Anyway... Lots more could be written about this movie. The only thing left to say: the man has a given talent. He has an amazing visual and symbolic sense and he knows his way with strong emotions. And in a way this movie reminds me of the emotional realism of Mike Leigh's movies, only probably without the improvisation Leigh permits his actors. And Xavier Dolan puts in lots of visual, lyrical, poetic aesthetics with lots of references to religion, arts and cultural history. A beautiful coming of age movie. To be seen by every male or female, gay or straight, who tries, or tried in the past, to set him or herself free from a dominant parent in order to become an independent free acting man or woman with room left to breathe and to love back his/her parent(s).

I just finished watching this film online with poorly translated subtitles which made it difficult to decipher what the characters were saying some of the time, however I got the gist of what was going on. A few of the reviews I've read have said they couldn't stand the main character and it dragged the film down. I think this film works because the main character is so bratty! He is absolutely wretched to his mother at some points and his mother perfectly nice back to him. One reviewer said they couldn't understand why he was so mean to his mother 'for no reason'. I actually related to Hubert's character getting annoyed at little things because when you're a teenager everything about your parent can annoy you! The first scene is stellar with the mother having cream cheese on her face and it annoying Hubert. I also believe that him being a 'closeted' gay and wanting freedom from his mother would also have been contributing factors as to why he was such a brat to his mother. The constant struggle between wanting to be independent of your parents but also not being quite old enough to be completely alone and still depending on a parent is what is captured so well in this film. I like that you can see the angst between mother and son from the child's eyes, frustrated yet loving. Hubert is a tortured soul! Everything is a little exaggerated, but wasn't every little problem a big deal when you were 16? This film was great in my eyes. I got a lot of entertainment from it and it's an amazing effort for the first directorial. It is definitely stylised and borrows from the likes of Wong Kar Wai (violins??) but it suits the film and contemporary setting and interests of young adults today.

"J'ai tue ma mere" seems a little rough around the edges and Xavier Dolan doesn't frame his shots so that they're picture perfect, but it seemed to suit the story. More to the point, what was happening inside the frame was much too interesting, and often moving, and I watched the movie in its entirety from beginning to end. "J'ai tue ma mere" is the story of a gay teenager and his mother in a single-parent household. Man, do I know that territory well! I don't like the word "dysfunctional" - it's coined psycho-babble. The household depicted here is about as real as I've ever seen in a film. It functions as well as it can given the tight quarters mother and son share. They're continually sparring. Hubert, wary, entirely self-centred and quite the drama queen, goes on rants and tries to push his mother's buttons and test her love, but when he needs a favour, it's back to calling her "mommy". I loved her philosophical stoicism, an attitude she developed, I would guess, to protect herself from hurt, and I was touched by Hubert's back-pedalling when he thinks he's gone too far. Both sweet and raw, this is is a relationship of love. I smiled during the scene when mom brings up his homosexuality and he's caught off-guard. Actually, I smiled for a number of reasons, one of which was because, for once, Hubert was speechless. The film is open-ended, the way life is, and the way the young view life, far-reaching and full of possibilities. It's a lovely film - warm, frank and not without a little self-deprecating humour and genuine wit (the shot of the Virgin Mary, within a specific context). I was left with the feeling that this was a chapter in a life, a relationship, and I felt optimistic. Perhaps, one day, Xavier Dolan will continue the story on film. I look forward to it.

Wow...! What a masterpiece... I prefer to believe that Xavier Dolan is not only a shootin star, but a director, actor and writer for history... "J'ai Tué Ma Mére" is one hell of a brilliant tour de force through emotions, love, identity, sexuality.... Xavier is outstanding (as himself??) fighting against himself and his mom and surroundings - the 'battles' with his mom is unique - and the 'love-scene' after 'painting the wall' is truly a highlight. Almost can't believe a 20-yr old wrote and directed - and played the leading part in - this excellent movie. Don't know why, but when watchin Xavier I'm thinking of James Dean (Rebel Without A Cause)and River Phoenix (My Own Private Idaho)... Love you Xavier for this - and lookin forward to forthcoming works. So fu***n GREAT!

She: like most mothers she cares for her son and looks after him. She drives him to school, she washes his clothes, she cooks. The downside: She uses these things as excuses to constantly make him feel guilty, make him feel like he owes her for loving him. She keeps accusing him of being ungrateful (though she never says it directly, but implies it in almost every conversation). What's (arguably) worse: she refuses to listen to him. When she does listen, she doesn't take him seriously. She avoids confrontation, barring occasional hysterical outbursts. He: makes it perfectly clear that he doesn't expect her to do all the material things for him that she does, and that he'd much rather fend for himself if that means not having to be made to feel guilty all the time. She: is a struggling single mother, working each day to try to give him a better future. She has to face self-important people who judge her, but who have no idea about the kind of life she leads. He: does not understand this. He does not see past her awful taste (in clothes and interior design). He thinks she's superficial. He refuses to let her be a part of his life, he criticizes her every word, her every move. He screams at her, insults her. She: loves him. He: loves her too. So much. J'ai tue ma mere is an unflinchingly honest, masterfully shot portrayal of a strained mother/son relationship. Great actors, beautiful images and, I cannot emphasize this enough, absolutely spectacular technique. Bravo Xavier Dolan! You have created a true work of art.