Matt and Mara OTT Release: Matt and Mara is a 2024 Canadian drama film directed by Kazik Radwanski. The film premiered in the Encounters program at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and had its Canadian debut at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
Critics have noted the film’s exploration of complex relationships and its improvisational style. Wendy Ide of Screen Daily highlighted the compelling chemistry between Campbell and Johnson, emphasizing the film’s ability to captivate despite minimal plot developments.
Matt and Mara will be premiering on the streaming platform Mubi on 31st January 2025.
Plot
Mara is a dedicated but somewhat reserved writing professor. She married to Samir, a stable and pragmatic man. Their relationship has grown strained over time. It is filled with unspoken tension and routine obligations.
Mara feels a quiet dissatisfaction, sensing that something is missing from her life but struggling to articulate it. At the same time, she remains deeply committed to her career. Guiding students through their literary ambitions while wrestling with her own creative stagnation.
Teaching and discussing literature provide her with some fulfillment, but they also remind her of the excitement she once felt—both in her work and in her personal life.
One day, Mara unexpectedly runs into Matt, an old acquaintance. He has since become a well-regarded, somewhat eccentric writer. Unlike Mara, Matt embraces spontaneity and avoids the constraints of traditional relationships or responsibilities.
Their encounter is lighthearted at first—full of reminiscing and playful banter—but it soon becomes apparent that there is an undeniable chemistry between them.
As they spend more time together, Mara finds herself drawn to Matt’s free-spirited nature. His uninhibited approach to life stands in stark contrast to her carefully structured world.
Conversations between them are sharp, witty, and intellectually stimulating, reigniting a sense of excitement Mara hasn’t felt in years.
The film doesn’t frame Matt as a straightforward love interest but rather as a catalyst for Mara’s internal conflict. She isn’t just choosing between two men. She’s grappling with two versions of herself. The responsible academic and wife versus the passionate, creatively inspired individual she once was.