Mary Review: As Christmas approaches, we are reminded of the birth of Jesus, a story that has been retold on screen in various forms over the years, from The Nativity Story to Journey to Bethlehem. Even The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, a recent box office hit starring Judy Greer, offers a glimpse of the Christmas story through the perspective of a church play. However, these adaptations typically focus on the event itself rather than offering a deeper exploration of specific characters or perspectives.
There was a TV movie called Mary, the Mother of Jesus, starring Christian Bale, that touched on Mary’s pregnancy and her relationship with Jesus up to his crucifixion, a film that truly centers on Mary’s experience of the Nativity has yet to be made—until now.
Netflix’s latest original film, Mary, delves into the life of the Virgin Mary, exploring the moments before and after she learns she’s been chosen to bear the promised king. Directed by D.J. Caruso, the movie attempts to offer a more complex view of Mary, capturing her experience from her younger years through the time after her miraculous conception. Though it’s marketed as a coming-of-age story, the film doesn’t fully tap into Mary’s perspective, missing a chance to offer a richer understanding of one of Christianity’s most revered figures.
What’s the Story Behind Mary?
As the title suggests, Mary follows the life of Mary of Nazareth (played by Noa Cohen), a young Jewish girl chosen to become the mother of Jesus. Taking creative liberties with her story beyond what is provided in the Bible, the film begins with her father, Joachim (Ori Pfeffer), spending days fasting in the desert (similar to Jesus’ own time in the wilderness), praying for God to bless him and his wife with a child. In this retelling, the angel Gabriel (Dudley O’Shaughnessy) appears to Joachim first, granting his prayer but with the condition that his daughter be brought to the temple to serve God.
As a young girl, Mary is brought to the temple by her parents to fulfill their vow, where she dedicates herself to studying the scriptures and serving with humility. During one of her rare outings, she spends time by the river, where she catches the eye of Joseph (Ido Tako), who is instantly smitten. After a brief interaction, Joseph approaches her family to ask for her hand in marriage, a request they accept, particularly after the angel Gabriel appears to him as well.
Once engaged, Mary encounters the angel who had visited both her parents and Joseph, and he reveals that she will become pregnant with a child. This is when the story truly begins to unfold, as Mary faces judgment and hostility from the townspeople, who believe she’s had a child outside of marriage. Struggling to protect herself and her unborn baby, she faces countless trials in the months leading up to the birth of Jesus.
Mary Fails to Deliver as Both a Coming-of-Age Story and a Gripping Thriller
The reality is, even though Mary is the focus of Caruso’s latest film, there’s little the director does to offer audiences—whether familiar with the story or not—a deeper understanding of her character. Aside from a brief moment in her youth, where Mary shows kindness to the poor by sharing bread, the film doesn’t explore her personality or her internal struggles with the pregnancy. While Mary faces judgment from her community and struggles to find a place to give birth to Jesus, the audience never gets a sense of her thoughts or how she’s evolving through these challenges. A coming-of-age story should delve into the character’s personal growth, but unfortunately, that’s not the case here.
Beyond being misleadingly marketed as a coming-of-age story about Mary, the film is also presented as a thrilling exploration of King Herod’s (Anthony Hopkins) sinister actions surrounding the birth of Jesus. In the Bible, Herod is consumed with the fear of a child who could threaten his reign, leading him to order a massacre of baby boys in Bethlehem. The mere idea of a ruthless king targeting your child is chilling, so expanding on this part of the narrative could reveal an often underexplored aspect of the story. However, even this plotline fails to deliver the intensity and suspense one might expect from such a dramatic event.
Mary Works Best When It Adheres to the Well-Known Narrative
Mary struggles with tonal inconsistencies and a weak script, leaving its cast, including Oscar-winner Hopkins, underutilized. The film is strongest when it stays true to the source material, particularly in the portrayal of Mary and Joseph’s bond as they face rumors and challenges together.
However, the film falters in its attempts to expand the story. It awkwardly connects Mary to Herod before her pregnancy and overuses Gabriel, while the inclusion of Satan (Eamon Farren) feels unnecessary and out of place.
Ultimately, Mary is a missed opportunity. It fails to deepen the character of Jesus’ mother or fully capture Herod’s brutality. Caruso could have delivered a powerful coming-of-age story or a thrilling drama, but the final result falls short.
Mary is streaming on Netflix starting December 6.