Written and directed by Julia Hart, I’m Your Woman sees suburban housewife Jean (Rachel Brosnahan) living an easy and carefree life that’s supported by her husband Eddie’s (Bill Heck) thievery. But things take a turn when Eddie makes a costly mistake that forces Jean to go on the run. So the wife who’s used to doing nothing and living comfortably is forced to inevitably couch surf her way to survival, on her own, with a baby.
From the very start, I’m Your Woman wastes no time getting to the action. Within minutes, we’re whipped into suspense mode as day turns to night, and Jean hears banging at her door. Later acknowledging that she knew what she signed up for, she was fortunate to find help in a longtime friend of Eddie’s, Cal (Arinzé Kene), who was tasked to help her for a limited time.
The first thing that came to mind was, “What would Carmela Soprano do without Tony?” Well, any Sopranos fan would know that she eventually sees such a scenario and progresses slowly on her own. Here, it takes the entire film for Jean to grow into the space she needs to occupy and the person she needs to be. With a little help from Teri (Marsha Stephanie Blake) and Art (Frankie Faison), the once green housewife navigates through some dark places with dangerous people.
For all the action and suspense that takes place, it’s equally slow and stalls in segments. For example, all of the slow pieces could’ve been removed for a nonstop, action-packed, thriller, and the runtime would’ve still landed at close to 90 minutes. Instead, the not-so thrilling elements will drag along and before you know it, you’ll reach 120 minutes. To test your mettle, throw in a screaming baby for half the time and see if your wits are intact once it’s over.
I give I’m Your Woman an 8 out of 10. Even with the slow moments, the whiny housewife quips, and the screaming baby, it’s a film that you won’t want to end. It’s not your typical crime film and it’s nice to see a woman’s take on such an era. With twists and turns at every stage to keep you guessing, its sure to be a streaming favorite this holiday season.
I’m Your Woman made its theatrical debut today at Landmark Midtown Art Cinema (Atlanta, GA) and Fieldstone Cinemas 6 (Hiawassee, GA). The film will be available globally on Amazon Prime Video streaming December 11.
-Jon J.