‘Monica’ Explores Deep Wounds With Mother and Daughter

Monica’s mother is dying. Monica hasn’t seen her mother in years. In fact, Monica’s mother doesn’t even recognize Monica. And that’s because she hasn’t seen her daughter since she fully transitioned and was cast out from the family. It’s been a long time. And a difficult one.

In Andrea Pallaoro’s latest film, Monica, Trace Lysette plays a lost woman desperate to reconnect with her estranged family. But more importantly, to make peace with her mother (Patricia Clarkson), who is living her final days dying of cancer. A reconciliation is in order, but deep wounds present deep problems.

Pallaoro’s visual language is precise. It’s a familiar style, one he’s worked with in previous films. The camera is static, rarely moving. He opts to position his characters in ways that only give us partial access to them. Fragmented bodies. Heads cutoff by the frame. Faces obscured, backs turned to us. We see Monica in reflections; in mirrors or through the window, sometimes fractured, sometimes translucent. As if these are only versions of her, what she allows the world to see. To show her full-on for too long would reveal too much.

And yet, there is a real intimacy to the film. The use of the 1:1 aspect ratio forces us to be close to Monica. She fills up the frame. She literally bursts out of it. There is the constant struggle of allowing herself to be vulnerable and remaining guarded. Being too vulnerable opens up the possibility of continued pain and disappointment. But being guarded could dash any hopes of reconciling with her mother. Can Monica overcome the pain and finally reveal her true self?

The film doesn’t sensationalize Monica’s transness. Her identity plays a crucial role in the film, but it isn’t used to shock. Monica already knows who she is. But after years of abandonment, will her mother finally accept her, especially at such a dire moment, where every passing second is magnified by her looming death?

In Monica, what’s left unsaid is just as important as what is said. The film is restrained, never delving into melodrama. It’s quiet, with long moments of silence. It allows itself to unfold at its own deliberate pace, but when it does, it’s a reward worth waiting for.

Monica is a sensitive film. A beautiful one about forgiveness, reconciliation, family, and finding your place in it. 

Unfortunately, Monica recently left Santa Barbara theaters. But we’re in luck! It is now available to rent on most major streaming platforms.