Matt and Mara
| Matt and Mara | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Kazik Radwanski |
| Written by | Kazik Radwanski |
| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Nikolay Michaylov |
| Edited by | Ajla Odobaši |
Production company | MDFF Films |
| Distributed by | The Cinema Guild |
Release date |
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Running time | 80 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Language | English |
Matt and Mara is a 2024 Canadian drama film, written and directed by Kazik Radwanski.[1] The film stars Deragh Campbell as Mara, a university professor in a troubled marriage to Samir (Mounir Al Shami), who unexpectedly reconnects with Matt (Matt Johnson), a man from her past.[2]
The cast also includes Simon Reynolds, Kinshuk Dhingra, Georgia Tannis, Jack Nguyen, Frances Howlett, and Linda Theresa Young.
Cast
[edit]- Deragh Campbell as Mara
- Matt Johnson as Matt
- Mounir Al Shami as Samir
Production
[edit]The casting for the film was announced late 2020,[3] and the film went into production in 2022.[4]
Release
[edit]It premiered in the Encounters program at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival,[5] and will have its Canadian premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.[6]
Reception
[edit]On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 14 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.1/10.[7] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 68 out of 100, based on 5 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[8]
Wendy Ide of Screen Daily wrote that "Matt and Mara is one of those films in which very little concrete happens, but the tingling possibility that something might makes it compelling. The appeal is largely due to the casting – Cambell [sic] and Johnson have an undeniable chemistry that is magnified by the improvisational freedom of the picture’s approach. And the agile camerawork deftly captures not just the finely-honed details of both performances, but also the increasingly charged space between the characters."[2]
In a negative review, Sarah Manvel of Critic's Notebook noted, "[the film] could have been delicious. But in this form we are not even being served the cookie dough. All that's here is some raw ingredients with the hope we'll mix them ourselves."[9]
References
[edit]- ^ Kelly Townsend, "Meryam Joobeur, Kazik Radwanski films set for Berlinale". Playback, January 22, 2024.
- ^ a b Wendy Ide, "‘Matt And Mara’: Berlin Review". Screen Daily, February 23, 2024.
- ^ Etan Vlessing, "‘Anne at 13,000 Ft.’ Star Deragh Campbell Reteams With Matt Johnson for ‘Matt and Mara’". The Hollywood Reporter, September 10, 2020.
- ^ Barry Hertz, "After TIFF 2022, the future of Canadian cinema rests in MDFF’s hands". The Globe and Mail, September 15, 2022.
- ^ Roxborough, Scott (January 22, 2024). "Rooney Mara, Isabelle Huppert, Gael Garcia Bernal Films Set for 2024 Berlinale". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 22, 2024.
- ^ Jeremy Kay, "Toronto film festival unveils 43 titles in Centrepiece programme". Screen Daily, August 6, 2024.
- ^ "Matt and Mara". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 8, 2024.
- ^ "Matt and Mara". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
- ^ https://www.criticsnotebook.com/2024/02/matt-and-mara-movie-review-deragh-campbell-matt-johnson-kazik-radwanski-berlinale.html#more
