Mary Goes Round from writer and director Molly McGlynn is a Canadian film about a substance abuse counsellor who is herself an alcoholic. The irony abounds in this moving drama about broken people who find ways to muddle through in spite of their issues.
Aya Cash plays Mary. Mary lives in Toronto. She hasn’t seen her Dad for 15 years. When he insists he come to see her because the half-sister she didn’t know she had wants to meet her, she resists.
But Mary drinks too much. She has a wreck while under the influence. She is fired from her job. Her boyfriend dumps her so she has nowhere to live. So, yeah, maybe she’ll go see dad for a day or two. Aya Cash does a wonderful job as the irresponsible, incompetent, drunk who finds her own way through helping her dad and half-sister.
Sara Waisglass plays Robyn, Mary’s newly discovered sister. She’s still in high school and lives with their dad. Dad (John Ralston) has a serious problem that Mary wants nothing to do with, but she gets sucked into it. In the process, she learns a lot about her dad, her dead mother, her half-sister, and herself.
Mary meets Lou (Melanie Nicholls-King) at an AA meeting in her home town. Lou is a big help to her, but Mary has something to give to Lou as well. As they are fond of saying in this film, good people do some messed up things. That applies to just about everyone in the cast.
Mary Goes Round is a nuanced and realistic examination of people who have to deal with too many bad things, including bad things of their own doing. The acting is very good and the story is well written. This indie film has a touching ending and even provides a few rays of hope for Mary and the folks around her.
Mary Goes Round is currently streaming on Amazon Video and a couple of other sources. If you enjoy indie films from women directors, you’ll find this one interesting.
Have you seen Mary Goes Round? What did you think of it?