Actress Sandra Bullock played the lead role in 2018’s post-apocalyptic horror film Bird Box. Directed by Susanne Bier, the film received critical acclaim for its screenplay and performances. However, it also had more depth than most films in the genre, allowing Bullock to truly flex her acting muscles.
During an interview, Bier discussed her work on the movie and collaboration with Bullock. The director also shed some light on the film’s underlying theme of motherhood and its drastically different approach to the subject. As a result, the film’s true message was deeper than most viewers anticipated and couldn’t be delivered well without Bullock.
Bird Box director challenging the idea of motherhood with the Sandra Bullock movie
Bird Box was released in 2018 and follows the story of Malorie Hayes, played by Sandra Bullock. In the movie, Malorie tries to find a safe place for her two children while protecting them from entities that cause people to kill themselves upon eye contact.
During an interview with Variety, director Susanne Bier revealed that she felt the script provided an opportunity to craft a different portrayal of motherhood, one not typically seen on the screen.
I guess I’ve always felt that motherhood is mainly defined by men and for many hundreds of years is automatically thought of as being soft, caring, naturally nurturing, calm.
Bier made the above comment, explaining that most movies portrayed the softer side of motherhood, creating an idealized version of the concept mostly from the lens of a patriarchal society.
However, the filmmaker saw an opportunity to challenge this version and explore a deeper message with the script. As a result, Bier felt that the movie depicted a more aggressive forcefulness in motherhood through Bullock’s character which directly opposed the more patriarchal depiction.
Susanne Bier discussed the complexities of motherhood in Bird Box
In the same interview, Bier also explained that while the film represented motherhood with a more aggressive touch, the theme was a lot more complex than most people understood. Therefore, it was integral for the movie to cast an actress of Bullock’s caliber.
There are a lot of things that are part of our idealized vision of motherhood, but I always thought it was much more complex, much more ferocious … I think that’s what Sandra gives it.
Bier made the above statement, admitting that the film was attempting a more complex depiction of motherhood, which wouldn’t have been possible without the Academy Award-winning actress‘ involvement.
Furthermore, Bier also highlighted how Malorie’s own interpretation of motherhood changes throughout the movie. After being overly protective of her children, Malorie realizes she needs to allow her children to dream instead of being focused only on survival, which is a very beautiful message.
Bird Box is streaming on Netflix.
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