Mary Bronstien's If I Had Legs I'd Kick You (2025)
I had the chance to watch Mary Bronstein's "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" at the 2025 Berlinale and the first thought I had walking out of the Berlinale Palast was "Every father should watch this film."
As a father myself, it gave me perhaps a glimpse into what my wife's experience could've been like, especially when I was out of town for work. The film offers a raw, unflinching look at motherhood that strips away the Instagram filters and mommy-blog cheerfulness to reveal something much more honest—and at times, deeply uncomfortable.
Rose Byrne delivers what I think could be her career-best performance as Linda, a new mother grappling with postpartum depression while her husband's work increasingly takes him away from home. The subtle shifts in Byrne's expressions as she cycles between love, resentment, exhaustion, and occasional moments of pure joy showcase her remarkable range. The supporting cast shines too, particularly A$AP Rocky who played his character James so naturally.
Conan O'Brien's appearance was at first jarring - the audience couldn't help but laugh at the first sight of him nearly pulling the rug out from under the scene. I was fully expecting to get the complete Conan experience which thankfully never materialized. Although, at times, I did feel he was fighting the urge to bust out his Party Hips.
Bronstein's visual approach reinforces Linda's psychological state so well. Cinematographer Christopher Messina's tight framing keeps the pressure on and creates a sense of entrapment from the very top of the picture until the end. I noticed the frames within frames like doorways, windows and the baby monitor acted as visual prisons.
The editing never lets the viewer go, offering no relief, similar to how Linda isn't allowed to relax - we aren't allowed to either. Editor Lucian Johnston's jarring cuts during moments of overwhelming stress and lingering uncomfortably during quieter moments of desperation were impactful.
The film touches on the experiences of mothers in America today - being gaslit, mansplained, and generally regarded as lesser and not enough by literally everyone. Whenever the camera lands on a male character's reaction shot their expressions always seems to ask "What's wrong with you?"
The guilt of abortion hangs heavy throughout the film as well—it becomes a psychological specter, amplified by the judgment Linda faces from her mother-in-law who somehow "knows" despite never being told.
From a filmmaker's perspective, the film is so well executed. Bronstein avoids melodrama while still delivering emotional gut-punches. The sound design deserves special mention— evolving from realistic to almost supernatural as Linda's state worsens, creating an immersive experience of a psychological imbalance.
I would've loved for Linda to have more of a release in the end, but I guess that is the question, isn't it? Can a mom catch a break? Relief always seems just out of reach, and the responsibilities can never truly be set down. Everything is in service of someone else's wellbeing and never Linda's.
I do question a particularly desperate moment involving the removal of a medical device that would seem like something a mother, even one on her last thread of sanity, could never do. Although, even as I type those words I realize that the director had built up to the moment well enough to be plausible. Perhaps it is the lack of consequence, or maybe one that we don't see, which makes it fall a little flat for me.
Bronstein has crafted a film that will spark conversations between partners, and parents long after viewing. It's the kind of honest, unflinching work that always reminds me that there is still so much to be expressed and shared through this medium in an unflinching, difficult way but with enough humor to keep us watching.
