Pieces of a Woman Parent Guide

What’s your worst nightmare? For most parents, it’s losing a child. The primal nature of that fear leads me to wonder how many people are going to watch Pieces of a Woman. If you haven’t had a child, this movie might just scare you out of trying to get pregnant. If you have experienced neonatal or pregnancy loss, the story will bring back excruciating memories. And if you have a baby at home, you’ll be anxiously hanging over the side of the crib making sure the little one is breathing.

Pieces of a Woman begins with a sense of nervous anticipation as Martha (Vanessa Kirby) and Sean (Shia LeBeouf) begin the home birth of their first child. In a remarkable 24 minute single take, the camera follows Martha through the delivery, as excitement frays into fear and then to anguish. As their world comes crashing down, the young couple are thrown into the alien realm of grief, with its feelings of isolation, disconnection, and confusion. They are, as the saying goes, “alive in the bitter sea.”

Where this production shines is in its depiction of loss and mourning. Vanessa Kirby gives a raw and searing portrayal of Martha’s bereavement. She’s brittle, fragile, empty, and enraged but she doesn’t want pity, just understanding – which is the one thing she doesn’t get. Shia LaBeouf gives a mostly wooden portrayal as her self-centered husband, although he occasionally manages to successfully emote strong feeling. But he is overshadowed by Ellen Burstyn as Martha’s ferociously controlling mother.

Sadly, Pieces of a Woman clearly demonstrates that stellar performances don’t automatically lead to a good film. The movie is burdened with numerous flaws, including poor editing. At just over two hours, it somehow manages to feel even longer. It also has an annoying legal subplot with the improbable assignment of Martha’s cousin as the prosecutor in the criminal trial arising from the baby’s death. No state prosecutor’s office would permit a lawyer with a clear conflict of interest to conduct a case.

Also troubling is the negative content that comes along with the story. If the scenes around the delivery and death of an infant aren’t disturbing enough for you, there is also an episode of domestic violence and frequent scenes of main characters smoking, drinking, and (in one instance), snorting cocaine. There is also plenty of sex in the film, both marital and adulterous, and audiences get two dimly lit views of Shia LaBeouf’s genitals, which I would prefer not to see. Add in over 60 profanities, and there’s plenty of material viewers will find objectionable.

Miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal loss are distressingly common, with one in four pregnancies ending in miscarriage alone. A film that explores the issue both honestly and accessibly would be enormously helpful. Unfortunately, Pieces of a Woman isn’t that film.