'Tuesday' is a heartrending, brilliant look at facing death starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus

What does death look like?

Humanity has given it many faces over the centuries: the monstrous half-Black and half-white woman, Hel, in Norse mythology. In Southeast Asia, there's the red-and-black form of Yama. In Western imagery, Death is a cloaked skeleton that often carries a scythe.

But what about the scarlet macaw?

That’s exactly the form death takes in Daina Oniunas-Pusic’s latest film “Tuesday.”

Birds and death aren’t so strange. After all, vultures and crows are often seen as signs of death. But a rainbow tropical bird? Not so much.

'You Hurt My Feelings' review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus is back

What is 'Tuesday' about?

“Tuesday” is a story about a mother and a daughter — and death. Tuesday, the daughter, played superbly by U.K. actor Lola Petticrew, who uses they/them pronouns, is suffering from a deadly illness.

Her mother, Zora, is desperate to ignore the fact that her only child is facing the end of her life — so much so that she avoids Tuesday altogether.

Zora is played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus. She’s disconnected from her only daughter. She spends her time trying to pawn off so-called family heirlooms and wanders through parks listlessly eating cheese.

This is Louis-Dreyfus’ second film with A24 – the first being the 2023 comedy “You Hurt My Feelings.” The highly decorated actress gets the opportunity to show once again just how versatile she is.

Despite this movie being about death, Louis-Dreyfus still manages to fit in some quirky moments of humor. In many ways, her character is the child in the relationship.

Back to the parrot. Death is a scruffy, dingy-looking macaw who lives a miserable existence. At every moment he hears the cries of the dying. But something magical happens when he’s with Tuesday. The cacophony stops. A tentative friendship is born.

Arinzé Kene voices Death, and he sounds unlike what you’d expect coming from a parrot. No high-pitched “Polly-wanna cracker” voice here. Instead, he sounds old, raspy and deep. The voice matches what you’d expect from a character named Death.

Things take an unexpected turn when Zora tries to prevent death from taking her child. In a bizarre twist, Zora manages to kill Death. But that is not a good thing.

'Tuesday' plays like a Roald Dahl story

“Tuesday” is a wholly original story, one that stands out brightly in a cinema landscape that sometimes feels rote.

Never before have I laughed and cried so much in a movie about dying. The effects in this movie are also brilliant. Far from the action-packed CGI movies with billion-dollar budgets, “Tuesday” pours its effects money into making Death so realistic. It’s been a long time since a CGI creature actually looked authentic.

At times, there’s a fairytale aesthetic that is reminiscent of a Roald Dahl story. You have clumsy adults and brave children with fantastical creatures. They go on an adventure — the final adventure.

In the end, “Tuesday” is all about learning how to say goodbye. It’s masterfully done. This movie will remain in my top three films of the year.

'Tuesday' 5 stars

Great ★★★★★ Good ★★★★

Fair ★★★ Bad ★★ Bomb ★

Directors: Daina Oniunas-Pusic.

Cast: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lola Petticrew, Arinzé Kene.

Rating: R for language.

How to watch: In theaters Friday, June 14.

Contact Kaely Monahan at k[email protected]. Follow her on our podcasts Valley 101 and The Gaggle, and X, formerly known as Twitter, @KaelyMonahan.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'Tuesday' review: Julia Louis-Dreyfus takes on death in brilliant film