At just 26 years of age, French-Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan has made a portfolio of more impressive films than most directors in their 40s. The outrageous, violent, but ultimately rewarding Mommy is probably his best film to date.

Dolan has explored themes of a mother-son relationship before in his debut feature, 2009’s lauded I Killed My Mother. Mommy is fresh and challenging in ways that the former wasn’t. It tells the story of a working class widowed mother Diane (Dorval) struggling to look after her troubled and violent son, Steve (Pilon), seeking help from a kindly neighbour named Kyra (Clément). What unfolds is the story of every parent’s worst nightmare that is as volatile as it is heart breaking.

Dolan is a visionary who strikes the right balance between substance and style, as the movie is shot in a tightened 1:1 aspect ratio that has a brooding impact on the way the film is viewed and felt. The actors are phenomenal in their respective roles with Pilon delivering an exuberant turn as the untamable Steve and Dorval nailing every nuance in a performance that adds an unexpected depth of emotion to the film.

The film debuted at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival to much acclaim and has gone on to win numerous accolades. It is a remarkable cinematic experience, both in terms of filmmaking and storytelling.