As "A Mouthful of Air" (2021 release; 106 min.) opens, we are introduced to Julie, a young mother who has a beautiful baby boy and an adoring husband. Yet something isn't quite alright as she seems to struggle taking care of the baby. Soon she spins out of control, and she has suicidal thoughts... At this point we are less than 10 min into the movie but to tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this film is truly a labor of love from Amy Koppelman, who adapts her novel of the same name into a movie. Koppelman is the movie's writer, producer and director (making her feature length debut). I haven't read the book so I can't comment how closely the film sticks to the book. Watching the film as a standalone, I was gripped from the beginning and it didn't take me long to be emotionally invested in the main characters. The movie benefits tremendously by the lead performance from Amanda Seyfried as Julie, in what is one of her best movie roles to date, period. Amy Irvin is a surprise (in the best possible way) as Julie's mom. Paul Giamatti also is quite good as Julie's doctor. The movie is plot-heavy so I can't really comment on how it all plays out. I will say this: this movie flew by in no time (for me anyway). Last but not least: kudos for the somber piano-fronted original score, courtesy of composer John Gürtler, whom I had not heard of before.
"A Mouthful of Air" was filmed 2 years ago and would've been released in 2020, but for a little thing called COVID-19. The movie finally was released in select theater this weekend, and I couldn't wait to see it. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at my art-house theater here in Cincinnati was not attended well: exactly 3 people (including myself). Regardless, if you are in the mood for a heavy-duty postpartum depression family drama featuring a powerful Amanda Seyfried, I'd readily suggest you check this out, be it in the theater (while you still can), on Amazon Instant Video, or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray, and draw your own conclusion.
