Rachel Rose’s directorial debut The Last Day is a contemplative exploration of the anxieties of motherhood. Inspired by Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs. Dalloway,” The Last Day features Julia (Alicia Vikander), a mother struggling with writer’s block and unresolved grief over her father’s death. As she plans a Fourth of July fireworks watch party, she bumps into Taylor (Victoria Pedretti), a young mom of three dealing with intense postpartum struggles. The film traces Julia’s steps across NYC as she encounters people who make her question her understanding of creativity and personhood. One of these encounters is an old flame named Peter (Wagner Moura) who forces Julia to reflect on her relationship with her adolescent daughter. 

In this thoughtful and meditative narrative, Vikander’s introspective performance invites audiences to consider the contradictory and confusing nature of motherhood. As we observe Julia navigate judgements on her appearance, career and parenting, we simultaneously follow Taylor’s tremendous efforts to keep her head above water. Pedretti’s affecting performance of a mother on the brink of collapse only further reminds us of the pressures of being a “good mother” and how the mundane routines of our lives can stifle identity.—Cara Cusumano