There are films that stay with you for many different reasons. A Mouthful of Air, written and directed by Amy Koppelman and starring Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried, is one of those films. Please note the film includes topics of depression, postpartum depression, anxiety, and suicide.
“One Breath at a Time” is the written on the movie poster and that’s how as mothers that experience postpartum depression get through. This film awoke feelings in myself that I hadn’t felt in a long time, but thanks to the film, I finally understand and can begin to process.
My Thoughts on The Film
Julie Davis, played by Academy Award nominee Amanda Seyfried is a children’s book author and illustrator. Everything that you think of when you think of a children’s book, the bright beautiful colors, fantastic stories, and innocence is there in Davis’s character Pinky. The apartment they live in it totally a New York City vibe. It is vibrant and really fun to look at. Makes you think how can someone be in such a colorful world and still be blue. It’s possible and it’s how a lot of people live with depression.
Without giving away too much of the film, you might cry and you might be triggered from story. Suicide ideation is portrayed but you won’t see any of the blood, just the aftermath of how Julie and the rest of her family deal with what has happened. It’s interesting how the reactions are not just one dimensional, but you’ll see how her family felt and of course how Julie deals. It’s a super hard film to watch, but it is also a good way to open your eyes to what a mother and her family go through.
The film is set in 1995, you’ll notice the Twin Towers illustrated in the opening credits and while the fashion is more like what is being worn now, you realize it’s back in time with the toys Teddy, Julie’s infant son is playing with. One of the things I found myself questioning is what Julie’s husband does for work. Her husband, played by two-time Emmy nominee Finn Wittrock, would come home from work asking what she worked on. It felt like maybe he was a part of the business, but it was never explained. There are moments when there are flashbacks but sometimes some of the moments don’t make sense, until they do. After speaking with both Seyfried and Koppelman, budget was tight and it was hard to get this film produced due to the sensitive topic.
Overall Thoughts
Overall it was a hard film to watch, again not because it was bad- but because of the topic. Seyfried did an amazing job with the part and I felt some of those moments in my soul. I will more than likely add A Mouthful of Air to my reading list to see how different the film and book are. Amy Koppelman the author is also the director of the film, so maybe there won’t be too much of a difference. I’ll keep you posted!
About the Film
Julie Davis, warm, kind, loving to her husband and child, is a bestselling children’s author. While her books deal with unlocking childhood fears, she has yet to unlock the dark secret that has haunted her own life. But when her second child is born, events occur that bring that secret to the fore, and with it, a crushing, powerful battle to survive.
