People like Bernadette Fox (Cate Blanchett) must create. If they don’t, they “become a menace to society.” Once a renowned architect, now an eccentric recluse, Bernadette may not be a menace to society at large, but she certainly is to the other mothers at her daughter’s school.
Motherhood is Bernadette’s world, but 15-year-old Bee (Emma Nelson) is growing up and off to boarding school soon. How will Bernadette cope?
WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, is a mystery-drama that director Richard Linklater describes as a “portrait of middle age.” The film centers on a chaotic, pivotal moment in Bernadette’s life when she must choose a path forward for herself and no one else.
That’s a difficult decision for anyone, but add to the fact that her husband, Elgin (Billy Crudup), encourages her to check into a treatment hospital for mental illness, and you can see why Bernadette may feel a bit … overwhelmed.
The choices she makes after an intervention staged by Elgin and Dr. Kurtz (Judy Greer) may be impulsive and even a bit reckless. But ultimately, Bernadette’s disappearance is cathartic, and the entire family is transformed because of it.
At its heart, WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, is about the joys and pains of letting go, accepting change and embracing growth. By reconnecting with her passion before motherhood, Bernadette rediscovers who she is as her own person.
In an exclusive interview with AMC, Linklater and the stars discussed the film’s theme of identity, particularly in one’s “third chapter” of life. Hear more in the clip above and get your tickets to WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, at AMC today.
