Mammoth is basically an updated version of Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 2006 film Babel. Just like how that work followed people at different points on the globe not being able to communicate well with others, this film focuses on people in three locations dealing with difficulty in their lives. In New York City, Michelle Williams is an ER surgeon working night shifts while her Filipino nanny looks after her daughter. Her husband, Gael Garcia Bernal, owns an online gaming site and goes to Bangkok to sell the firm for tens of millions of dollars. Meanwhile, the in the Philippines, the nanny's two young sons deal with life without their mother as their grandmother cares for them.
Similar to Babel, all three stories play out separately and only seldom come into contact with one another. Michelle Williams is very isolated from her daughter because of the hours she works and the hours she sleeps. Her job is high-stress and the costs do not necessarily outweigh the rewards. Gael Garcia Bernal finds himself bored in Thailand as the lawyers work out some details on the purchase deal, so he goes to a tropical beach to where he meets a persistent hooker. The two Filipino boys are sad they can't see their mother more and deal with the dangers of living in their poor city on a daily basis.
Basically none of this film feels fresh or interesting to me. From a stylistic point of view, Swedish director Lukas Moodysson does not bring a lot to the table that we can bite into. The story feels very recycled and there is nothing especially interesting from a visual standpoint. There are a few pop songs used throughout the film and even these are retreads from recent pictures. (One of them, Cat Powers' 'The Greatest', was recently prominently featured in Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights from last year.)
I really like Williams and think she generally gives very nice performances. There is no difference with her work here which is solid and interesting. I do wonder why she seems to only pick the weirdest and tiniest movies to work on, when it seems she could make bigger, more commercial films (considering her Dawson's Creek pedigree). Looking at her career, Brokeback Mountain seems to be the biggest film she was ever in - and she's a secondary character in that. Bernal is good in this film, but his role is so bland he does not have much to work with.
Solid acting, though, cannot solve this movie's problems. It is utterly obvious, vapid and beige.
Stars: 1 of 4
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