Darren Aronofsky "doesn’t mind" that people are "upset" by ‘Mother!’.
The 48-year-old filmmaker helmed the psychological thriller that has divided audiences since its release last week, but says he isn’t disappointed that some viewers disliked the movie because it was designed to be a "cautionary tale of what’s happening to the planet", which he notes can be hard for audiences to accept.
He said: "It’s all good. I don’t mind people are upset by the film because it’s supposed to be a reflection and a cautionary tale of what’s happening to the planet. And it’s hard, because I’m pointing at all of us saying, ‘Look what’s going on! Let’s think about this!’ I’m also guilty, I’m not any better."
But Darren – who is in a relationship with the movie’s lead actress Jennifer Lawrence – did bemoan those who "can’t acknowledge the filmmaking", as he insists the stylistic approach to the movie was "really hard to pull off".
He added: "But the one thing I can’t understand is how people can’t acknowledge the filmmaking – there are three camera shots in the whole film: over the shoulder, on her face, and her point of view. There’s no score. There are all these things we did that are really hard to pull off. I couldn’t have done this five years ago. It’s only because my team and I have been together for so long that we took the chance."
The filmmaker admits the movie’s cast – which also includes Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer – might make audiences believe the project is lighter than it actually is, and always knew it was going to be "a lot" for viewers.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly magazine, Darren said: "I think I knew it was going to be a lot of stuff. Anytime you do something that aggressive there are going to be people who enjoy it, who want to be on that roller coaster ride, and then there are others who say, ‘Oh no, that was not for me.’
"It’s a strange one. You see Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris, and Michelle Pfeiffer and people are conditioned for a certain type of movie. And … we didn’t do that type of movie."
Darren Aronofsky doesn’t care about Mother! critics
