Charlize Theron gives a fearless performance as a woman snowed under by motherhood in this latest comedy from Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, the directorial/writing team behind Young Adult and Juno.

Marlo (Theron) is a mother of three, battling stress and resentment. Her husband Drew is totally unhelpful, her son Jonah is close to getting kicked out of kindergarten and her wealthy brother Craig (Mark Duplass) is correct in his fear that she is speeding toward a breakdown. So when Craig gifts Marlo the services of a night nanny to help ease the load, her stubborn independence makes her hesitant at first. But when Tully (Mackenzie Davis), a thoughtful, surprising and challenging young nanny arrives on the scene, Marlo’s new employee’s free-spirited ways ignite in her a previously dormant inner spark.

Like Mary Poppins for the millennial age this bittersweet spin on the classic fairy godmother tale is both bitingly funny and observant as well as a quietly radical statement on motherhood.

---