I Killed My Mother faithfully renders the love-hate tug-of-war between mothers and sons: smashed crockery and all.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Jun 25, 2021

It's a strong debut from one of cinema's most exciting young talents, and the chance to finally see where it all started shouldn't be missed.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Aug 6, 2019

I Killed My Mother is styled as cinema about cinema-Dolan wears his influences on his sleeve, from Jean-Luc Godard to Rimbaud. But this is ultimately a drama of flesh-and-blood relationships, not ideas.

| Jul 26, 2019

The art of film is not there to soften the pain of abuse and cool the raging quarrels between mother and son. Exposing its ugliness and intensity is the very thing that allows for cathartic closure.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | May 21, 2019

Dolan's vision, however distracted, remains strong ( ... ) As a writer, director, producer, and actor, he throws himself into the film's disjointed spaces, highlighting the ways in which multiple and contradictory states can be inhabited simultaneously

| Nov 13, 2013

Wonderful performances, poignant story, light tone and nifty visuals add up to a smart art-house package. Should hold appeal well beyond the gay crowd.

| Mar 14, 2013

As a director, Mr. Dolan has a freewheeling style, and he's self-dramatizing enough to want to call attention to it without being too much of a visual show-off.

| Original Score: 3.5/5 | Mar 13, 2013

This just might be as close as we'll ever get to seeing "Catcher in the Rye" on the screen. Truly hilarious.

| Oct 31, 2012

For Dorval's acting alone, the film is a must-see. Add to that Dolan's own petulant performance, knowing eye for character detail, offbeat camera set-ups and assured direction, and the movie becomes a blissful character study. It's fabulous.

| Jul 15, 2012

Uneven but funny and audacious adolescent comedy from a talented beginner.

Full Review | Jul 6, 2010

There's much to praise, especially the oh-so-real dialogue, but true psychological penetration is lacking and Dolan's hunger to prove his talent results in a superfluity of styles.

| Jul 6, 2010

The film is annoyingly atelene.

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Jul 6, 2010

(Xavier) Dolan's perceptive portrait isn't particularly nuanced but it does have the slap of honesty...

| Jun 5, 2010

click to read full review

| Original Score: 2.5/5 | Mar 26, 2010

If the attention Dolan pays to his character's struggle with the paradox of loving his mother without actually liking her feels remarkably honest, his style of shooting feels anything but.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Mar 12, 2010

...the sensational filmmaking debut of twenty year-old writer/director/star Xavier Dolan...exhibits not only technical competence and a strong artistic signature, but the maturity to recognize the underlying causes of teenage arrogance.

| Original Score: A- | Feb 16, 2010

This is hardly the reassuring, audience-friendly coming-of-age-and-out tale it could've been. It's very much a two-hander between opponents who are equally matched and often equally flawed.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 12, 2010

[A] brilliantly sure-handed debut.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 5, 2010

A coming-of-age tale as ferociously raw as its teller -- the very young Xavier Dolan.

| Original Score: 3/4 | Feb 5, 2010

What makes it extraordinary is its depth of feeling, which Dolan's age makes all the more impressive: he was just 19 when he made this.

| Original Score: 3.5/4 | Feb 5, 2010