Coming Soon: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025) by Mary Bronstein: A Psychological Motherhood Drama

Motherhood Unmasked

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You is a 2025 American psychological comedy-drama written and directed by Mary Bronstein, starring Rose Byrne as Linda, a therapist and mother confronting a series of escalating crises in her life. Linda’s daughter suffers from a mysterious illness that drains the family’s resources and patience, while her husband is absent on a long-term assignment. A literal hole in the ceiling of their home symbolizes the collapsing support in Linda’s world as reality spirals into surreal chaos.​

• The title reflects Linda’s intense frustration and emotional exhaustion. It encapsulates her struggle to maintain composure despite relentless pressure. This bitter humor underscores the film’s exploration of mental health and overwhelming motherhood.

• The story navigates multiple crises simultaneously—illness, marital strain, missing persons, and dysfunctional therapy. Linda’s life is a whirlwind of conflicting demands and emotional turmoil. The film delves deeply into the psychological toll of trying to hold everything together.

• Linda’s relationship with her therapist, played by Conan O’Brien in his first serious acting role, reveals a bleak lack of support. The therapist appears detached and unhelpful, highlighting Linda’s isolation. This dysfunctional dynamic emphasizes the film’s themes of loneliness and helplessness in modern life.

Why to Recommend If I Had Legs I'd Kick You: Raw, Tense, and Unflinchingly Honest

• Career-Best Performance by Rose Byrne: Byrne delivers a powerful portrayal of a woman on the edge, balancing moments of desperation and dark humor. Her performance carries the film’s emotional weight and makes the psychological unraveling deeply compelling. Audiences experience Linda’s pain and frustration firsthand.​

• Daring Cinematic Choices: The film uses intense close-ups, unsettling sound design, and practical effects to immerse viewers in Linda’s anxious mental state. The cinematography heightens claustrophobia and emotional tension. These techniques make the viewer feel trapped alongside Linda.

• Bold Storytelling: Director Mary Bronstein does not shy away from harsh realities and uncomfortable moments. Scenes of continuous crying, isolation, and domestic chaos create an unrelenting atmosphere of pressure. The film provokes strong emotional responses and thoughtful reflection.

• Powerful Symbolism: The recurring holes—in the ceiling and metaphorically in Linda’s life—serve as compelling visual motifs. The growing cracks mirror her deteriorating stability and increasing vulnerability. This symbolic layer adds depth to the narrative.

• Support Cast and Performances: Standout turns from Conan O’Brien as the unhelpful therapist and A$AP Rocky as a strained but grounding presence add texture. Danielle Macdonald’s portrayal of a struggling new mother further parallels Linda’s journey. These performances enhance the film’s exploration of caretaking and community.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18382850/

Link Review: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/if-i-had-legs-id-kick-you-film-review-2025

About movie: https://a24films.com/films/if-i-had-legs-id-kick-you

Theatrical release: October 10

What is the Trend Followed? Raw Psychological Dramas on Modern Motherhood

• The film fits within a new wave of cinema exposing the mental toll of motherhood and caregiving, blending psychological drama and dark humor. It explores themes of burnout, anxiety, and emotional imbalance rarely given such unfiltered treatment.​

• This genre often employs harsh realism, surreal elements, and unconventional storytelling to capture the mother’s lived experience. By mixing dread with humor and chaotic pacing, the film reflects real-life struggles with empathy and honesty.

Director’s Vision: Mary Bronstein’s Immersive and Uncompromising Look

• Bronstein immerses the audience fully into Linda’s deteriorating mental state, using innovative soundscapes and tight, claustrophobic cinematography. The film’s atmosphere is suffocating and disorienting, mirroring the protagonist’s inner turmoil. Her choices create a visceral experience rather than a conventional narrative.

• The decision not to show Linda’s daughter’s face until the final scene enhances the emotional focus on Linda’s perspective. The invisible child acts as both a source of suffering and a metaphor for the invisible burdens mothers bear. Bronstein uses this distancing to emphasize emotional and psychological estrangement.

Themes Explored in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You: Motherhood, Isolation, and Breakdown

• Motherhood as Psychological Horror: The film depicts the relentless anxiety and exhaustion of caring for a sick child. It frames this experience as a form of mental torment, relatable to many parents in crisis. The horror manifests in both internal despair and external chaos.

• Isolation and Dysfunctional Support: Linda’s inability to find empathy from her husband, therapist, and community highlights societal failures. The alienation exacerbates her sense of helplessness. The story critiques how modern institutions often fail caregivers.

• Breakdown of Control: From the literal collapse of the ceiling to Linda’s fragmented emotional state, the film visualizes the unraveling of order. The dissolution of household and mental stability parallels the broader themes of vulnerability.

• Search for Relief: Linda’s brief moments of escape through wine, pot, and uneasy friendships show the complexities of coping mechanisms. These moments reveal both fragility and resilience amid relentless pressure.

Key Success Factors: Raw Acting, Innovative Cinematic Style, and Emotional Intensity

• Rose Byrne’s Captivating Lead: Her embodiment of Linda’s pain and gallows humor anchors the film’s emotional landscape. Byrne’s nuanced performance invites empathy even amid distress. This makes the film a compelling study of personal collapse and survival.​

• Impressive Technical Craft: Cinematographer Christopher Messina’s close framing and choice of color create an intimate and oppressive atmosphere. Combined with unsettling sound design, the viewer is emotionally enveloped in the protagonist’s nightmarish world. These elements elevate the film beyond typical psychological drama.

• Bold Scriptwriting and Direction: Mary Bronstein blends dark humor with unrelenting tension. Instead of glamorizing breakdown, she portrays it as messy, exhausting, but human. This honesty makes the film challenging but rewarding.

Awards & Nominations: Festival Acclaim

• The film garnered the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance (Rose Byrne) at Berlinale 2025. This recognition underscores Byrne’s extraordinary work and the film’s impact.​

• With one win and four nominations, the film has been celebrated at international festivals for its psychological depth and cinematic innovation. Its reputation among cinephiles and critics continues to grow.

Critics Reception: Intense Emotion and Divisive Impact

Critics widely praise Rose Byrne’s career-best performance and the film’s immersive portrayal of maternal psychological distress, while some find its pacing exhausting and tone relentlessly bleak. Reviewers from prominent sites such as RogerEbert.com, TheFilmStage, and The New Yorker emphasize the emotional intensity and innovative filmmaking, highlighting the film’s blend of dark comedy, psychological horror, and arthouse sensibility. These critiques recognize the film’s unapologetic look at the realities of motherhood anxiety but note it may not satisfy viewers expecting traditional narrative resolution.

• Roger Ebert praises Byrne’s “phenomenal” embodiment of Linda’s unraveling mental state and the sound design’s immersive quality, calling it a “nerve-wracking experience”.​

• The Film Stage highlights Bronstein’s innovative direction and emotional honesty, pointing to the film’s “claustrophobic and relentless” atmosphere.​

• The New Yorker commends the film’s “virtuosic maternal freakout,” describing it as a profound expression of anxiety and grief.​

Reviews: Raw, Harrowing, and Unforgettable Emotional Depth

Audience and critic review summaries reflect a deep emotional connection tempered by the film’s difficult subject matter. Ratings clustering around 7.3/10 indicate general acclaim paired with acknowledgment that the film’s intensity isn’t for every viewer. Online platforms like IMDb, Letterboxd, and festival forums frequently praise Byrne’s magnetic performance and the film’s raw honesty. The storytelling’s immersive, claustrophobic style is simultaneously compelling and exhausting, making it a memorable but demanding piece.

• IMDb reviews appreciate the “devastatingly honest portrayal,” often remarking on Byrne’s “phenomenal” acting and the film’s “anxiety-inducing” atmosphere.​

• Letterboxd users describe it as an “immersive, nerve-wracking experience” with “emotional carnage” reminiscent of A24’s best psychological dramas.​

• Several reviewers note the film’s mix of dark humor and relentless tension, calling it a “must-see” for cinephiles despite its difficult watch.

Release Dates: When and Where

• Premiered at Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2025, and screened at Berlin, Karlovy Vary, Melbourne, and Telluride festivals. The U.S. theatrical release occurred on October 10, 2025.​

• Filmed primarily in Montauk, New York, the movie reflects its atmospheric coastal setting as part of its visual storytelling.

• Produced by A24 and independent companies, the film is positioned as an arthouse centerpiece exploring contemporary family dynamics.

• Planned streaming release on premium digital platforms is expected within months following the theatrical window. This will provide accessibility for audiences preferring home viewing and broaden the film’s reach beyond theaters.

Movie Trend: Psychological Family Dramas with Surreal Tension

• The film signifies a modern wave embracing mental health issues, motherhood challenges, and blurring reality and anxiety. It blends arthouse sensibility with genre elements for a compelling character study.

Social Trend: Mothers’ Mental Health and Societal Pressure

• Addressing the overwhelming expectations and isolation faced by mothers, the movie contributes to vital cultural conversations about caregiving and mental wellness. It highlights systemic gaps and emotional exhaustion that many caregivers endure.

Final Verdict: Gripping, Harrowing, and Viscerally Real with Profound Social Insight

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You stands as a searing, uncompromising examination of motherhood under extreme pressure, showcasing the emotional fragility and turmoil many caregivers face. Rose Byrne delivers a mesmerizing, nuanced portrayal of Linda, bringing raw vulnerability and dark humor to the screen. Director Mary Bronstein’s inventive cinematic techniques—claustrophobic framing, disorienting sound design, and symbolic visuals such as the ceiling hole—create an immersive experience that viscerally conveys mental collapse and resilience.

The film’s uncompromising portrayal of burnout, exhaustion, illness, and isolation transcends genre, blending psychological horror with arthouse drama to probe universal themes of grief, identity, and caregiving. It critiques systemic failures around mental health support and societal expectations of mothers, making it a socially relevant and emotionally timely work. Though its relentless intensity and minimal narrative relief may challenge many viewers, it offers rich rewards for those seeking authentic, boundary-pushing cinema about motherhood’s unspoken hardships.