A singular experience at this year’s Fantastic Fest was watching “Anxiety – The Movie,” also known as If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, on the big screen. This latest A24 film was written and directed by Mary Bronstein (Yeast), marking her sophomore feature film. Linda is a wife, mother, and therapist dealing with a mountain of issues all on her own. When things go from bad to worse, it sends Linda’s life on a downward spiral that she might not be able to recover from.

With If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Bronstein has created a film that is a dramatic, psychological thriller with plenty of dark humor and even some surreal moments. As the film begins, Linda’s life is already quite tumultuous. Her daughter has a mysterious illness that isn’t getting better, her husband is out of town, her therapy patients are too needy, and Linda’s own therapist is becoming increasingly hostile. All of this is far too much to handle on your own and it only gets worse when a giant hole appears in her apartment ceiling, forcing Linda and her daughter to stay in a cheap motel until the hole is repaired. The rest of the film depicts Linda trying to deal with the mounting problems in her life, using some less than ideal coping mechanisms. It’s an incredibly stressful film, easily putting the audience in Linda’s shoes to become fully immersed in a nightmarish situation with no one to help.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You brilliantly shows the horrors of anxiety, but even more so it perfectly highlights the weight put on women’s shoulders. Whether childless or a mother, women are expected to carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, all while internalizing their struggles so the outward mask doesn’t crack. When you have no control over your life, and no resources, things can only get worse. It’s the kind of film that will resonate with many people in similar situations. Yet others, who haven’t grappled with mental health struggles, will likely find it more difficult to connect with Linda and her battle to keep her head above water.

Throughout If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, the focus is almost entirely on one character. Rose Byrne (Insidious, 28 Weeks Later) stars as Linda. Linda is not perfect. She certainly is doing her best with the hand she’s been dealt, but she also chooses some unhealthy coping mechanisms and puts herself in unsavory situations. Byrne gives an absolutely stellar performance. She brings to life this wildly flawed character, but still makes her sympathetic because she’s at least trying, even as everything crumbles around her. While Byrne is the definitive star, there are a few other standout performances. This includes Conan O’Brien (Now You See Me), A$AP Rocky (Highest 2 Lowest), and Danielle Macdonald (Bird Box).

Adding to the tension throughout If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is unhinged sound design and cinematography. Right away, the sound design will set audiences on edge. It highlights the noises that set people on edge, adding to the anxiety of Linda’s story. When looking at the cinematography, audiences will notice some very interesting stylistic choices. Most notable is that most of the film consists of close-up shots of Linda’s face. It gives the film a claustrophobic feel, emphasizing the character’s physical and mental decline the worse her situation gets. Some other characters are shown, but Linda is the obvious focal point and the audience doesn’t even see her child or husband for a vast majority of the film. A few trippy, surreal images are thrown into the mix with striking special effects, adding beauty as it conveys the euphoria of letting go.

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is a panic attack in film form, adding dark humor to a truly stressful cinematic experience. Bronstein clearly had a lot to say with this film, and she did not hold back or sugar coat one single minute of it. Some audiences might wish there was a bit more to the plot, but this a film certainly not for the faint of heart. Byrne gives one hell of a performance, proving she can deliver as much anxiety as she can laughs. This is a film that will give audiences a genuinely unique moviegoing experience, just be sure you’re in the right headspace before the lights dim. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You hits theaters Friday, October 10th.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10