Tully (2018)

This film is all a lie. It is perceived to be one thing one it is actually another.
Marlo (Charlize Theron, brilliant) is very stressed out, with two young children, including a 'quirky' son, when the word that likely should be used is Asperber's or Autism. He throws a fit when the main parking lot is full. Things only get worse when the new baby is born. Mia is utterly adorable but cries constantly adding to the constant exhaustion Marlo feels. And her husband is basically useless. Sure, Drew (Ron Livingstone) isn't an alcoholic asshole and he does work hard, but he doesn't do much with the kids. Until the end, you only see him help with the kids once. Marlo's brother, Craig (Mark Duplass) does try to help by gifting her a night nanny which she feels is something extravagant and ridiculous but eventually she gives in, as the school informs that her son is no longer welcome.
Enter Tully (Mackenzie Davis) and things start to improve as Marlo is finally getting the sleep she needs and the house is cleaner, cupcakes are made for the kids' school. She and Tully form a good friendship, although then Tully's job is over and she needs to go though Marlo is devastated.
The problem is, that is a lie. Tully never appears. It is a figment of Marlo's mind (a younger version of herself); in reality, she is suffering from severe postpartum depression and severe exhaustion, falling asleep behind the wheel while driving and nearly dying. The sad and devastating part, her husband didn't even notice.
Sure, things get better and the elephant in the room is never discussed but I don't know how a marriage can rebuild after that. I would feel crushed and betrayed if my husband paid so little attention to my needs. Equally as unacceptable is the fact that the school and various doctors seemed unable to diagnose Jonah with what is clearly the problem.
That being said, Theron is excellent and Davis is great and this film shows how stressful, lonely and depressing life as a new parent can be. She is up every few hours to feed the baby, change the baby and lull her to sleep again while her husband sleeps like a log. The house is realistically messy and their lives chaotic, which is not often seen.
The only thing that should have tipped me off to Tully being fake is that when Marlo describes Drew as the bench on a carousel, Tully says he sounds really nice, when he just seems like a lump to me. So, I wonder what else I've missed. Grade: B