Back to a work week, which means back to only one movie a day unless I can maneuver things in a way to sneak in a second. Today, unfortunately, was not such a day. It’s probably for the best. I’m beyond exhausted, ready to fall asleep at 7pm, and just starting to write this post. Exhaustion aside, I was looking forward to watching this film, and I’m also excited to talk about it.

I’m Your Woman (2020, Dir. Julia Hart)

Director Julia Hart has had a fascinating career thus far. I’ve mentioned before that I was at the world premier for her first film Miss Stevens (2016) at the South by Southwest Film Festival. With that film, she displayed great skill and appeared destined to create indie dramadies that may never have crossed over but were highly acclaimed by those who found them. Then in 2018 she released her moody take on the anti-superhero film with Fast Color. 2020 saw her releasing two new films the adorably twee Disney fare in Stargirl and today’s viewing the crime drama I’m Your Woman.

It turns out that I have a love for films where women must pick up the pieces of their lives after their crime boss husbands are no more. To be fair the only other film that I can think of that fits that description is Widows (2018. Dir. Steve McQueen), but well-defined genre or no, the screenplay resonated with me, and I was ready for more. The transition from ignorant bliss, to frantically figuring out how to function on her own created a dramatic resonance that drove the story. Unlike a traditional crime/ gangster film the characters emotional strife was the driving force of the film rather than the crimes being committed.

Rachel Brosnahan delivers a wonderful performance as Jean, the mob widow forced on the run. Her character’s uncomfortably with just living without her husband and his money comes across in every decision she makes. Even the way she holds her adopted baby Harry betrays the character as one without a motherly instinct. Co-stars Marsha Stephanie Blake and Arinzé Kene play the married couple Teri and Cal who offer their support to Jean. The three mesh well in the performance; each of them understand the requirements of their character and deliver a unified picture.