Pop Culture Happy Hour — "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You"
Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Aisha Harris (with guests Walter Chow & Christina Escobar)
Topic: A deep dive review of the film If I Had Legs I'd Kick You starring Rose Byrne.
Episode Overview
This episode focuses on the new melodrama If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, starring Rose Byrne as a stressed therapist and mother in crisis. The panel delves into the film’s unflinching portrayal of extreme parental burnout, the choice to avoid sentimental tropes about motherhood, and the polarizing effect this has on viewers. With vivid, sometimes uncomfortable conversations, the hosts examine the film’s style, themes, and emotional impact.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Movie Context and Plot Setup
- Role of Rose Byrne: Known for her comedic roles, Rose Byrne delivers a dramatic and "fantastic" performance as Linda, a therapist and overburdened mother.
- [00:20] “Rose Byrne has spun comedic gold for years... But in the new movie If I Had Legs, I'd kick you, she shows her dramatic chops and she's fantastic.” — Aisha Harris
- The Situation: Linda juggles caring for her gravely ill daughter, a terrible living situation, an absent and "jerk" husband, and the emotional labor from her patients and unsupportive workplace.
- [02:40] “Linda's got no support system, and so she begins to crash out hard.” — Aisha Harris
First Impressions
- Walter Chow: Loved the film’s stress and difficulty, likening the viewing experience to an “extreme sport.”
- [03:42] “I really loved this unpleasant movie. Yeah, I really kind of threw both arms around a thing that doesn't want to be hugged. It's really prickly.”
- [04:08] “It must be horrible while it's happening. And then... I felt the sense of really exhilaration afterward... There’s something about this movie that I really felt like was bracing.”
- Christina Escobar: Appreciated Rose Byrne and the film’s artistry, but found the movie too extreme and joyless, especially as a parent.
- [05:00] “I would not say I loved it. I thought it was artfully done... There’s not any joy in this film.”
- [05:23] “As a mom... I did not feel seen by this film in a way that I have by other movies that delve into some of the trials and tribulations of motherhood. Because this is not about the trials and tribulations of motherhood. This is about, like, an extreme trauma.”
The Film’s Tone and Stylistic Choices
- Aisha Harris: Falls "somewhere in the middle," noting the film differs from universal depictions of parenthood by layering on relentless obstacles.
- [06:27] “This just kind of reinforced my... you know, Christina, as you said, this is a very extreme case.”
- Extreme Close-Ups & POV: The film mostly avoids showing the sick daughter's face, focusing instead in tight shots on the mother’s struggles.
- [08:27] “One of the choices that is made in this movie is the fact that we do not see the child's face... It just adds to the... it makes it more about the mother.” — Aisha Harris
- [08:29] “The child is so whiny and needy... And I think if we looked at her while we were doing all of that, I think it's a really strong strategy to say this is just an element of noise in her life.” — Walter Chow
- Intensity of Detail: Walter describes a striking scene:
- [09:06] “There's a scene where she eats a piece of pizza that's fallen on the floor or something... she stuffs, like, a whole piece... in her mouth, and she's just chewing. It feels like forever. And that really drives me crazy...”
Theme of Motherhood Without Sentimentalism
- Motherhood’s Rewards Withheld: Christina argues that avoiding the child's face strips away even the small rewards of parenting.
- [10:51] “The decision not to show the daughter's face takes away any of the reward of being a mom. Like, what is she doing all of this for? If you can't see the daughter, it doesn't really feel like she's doing it for anything.”
- Ambivalence & Realism: The film refuses to valorize motherhood or offer catharsis, which both disturbs and intrigues the critics.
- [11:23] “This film tells a story of motherhood without that. And, man, it is just a slog.” — Christina Escobar
- [12:51] “I think there's something to be said for showing bad mothers like this. Like, she's not necessarily actually a bad mother. She's just... I felt overcome by such terrible support systems.” — Christina Escobar
- [14:58] “Even just aren't fulfilled by motherhood. Like, that's the thing. It's supposed to... complete you. And, like, when it doesn't... that feels really, really powerful.” — Christina Escobar
Who Is This Film For?
- Challenging Audience Expectations: The panel agrees the movie doesn't aim to be widely accessible or relatable but has distinct value for some.
- [11:30] “Who is this for? What is this movie for? Like, what are we trying to say here?” — Aisha Harris
- [13:17] “There's a real importance in showing moms who are imperfect... There is some stuff about motherhood that's really hard. It's not all joy at all. There’s a lot of slog...” — Christina Escobar
- [17:41] “I just feel like, yeah, this is what life kind of feels like. It's hard and it's struggle and it's almost uninterrupted. Again, you're both right. I don't know who to recommend this to exactly. You know, it's one of those movies that I love that I can never recommend.” — Walter Chow
Universal Themes Beneath the Extremity
- Support Systems (or Lack Thereof): The panel repeatedly returns to the subject of the mother’s isolation and the burdens placed on women.
- [15:31] “It doesn't valorize or romanticize motherhood in a way that our culture is really bred to do... their expectations are placed on women in our culture.” — Walter Chow
- [17:24] “The underlying message that we're placing an undue burden on just one partner in this film.” — Walter Chow
Notable Scenes & Memorable Moments
- Demonic Hamster: A moment that offers a strange, almost comic exaggeration.
- [16:47] “Including a demonic hamster, which is one of the best sequences in any movie in this year.” — Walter Chow
- Performative "Okayness": The movie’s depiction of a character simply coping, without the pressure to pretend things are fine.
- [18:12] “We do spend a lot of our energy and time right now walking around pretending like everything's okay. This sort of, like, performative okayness. And this is a movie that kind of openly rejects that and says, you know what? Things are kind of rough...” — Walter Chow
Timestamped Highlights
- (03:42–04:48): Walter Chow’s “embrace the stress” love letter to an “unpleasant” film.
- (05:00–06:27): Christina Escobar’s reaction as a parent and her distancing from the film’s depiction of motherhood.
- (08:27–09:56): Discussion on not showing the child's face and use of aggressive close-ups.
- (10:51–11:30): Christina and Aisha on the lack of joy and “reward” in the movie’s portrayal of motherhood.
- (14:58–15:31): Powerful discussion of doubts about motherhood and the film’s willingness to show unfulfilled mothers.
- (16:47): Walter on the “demonic hamster” sequence and the film’s exaggerated elements.
- (17:41–18:34): Walter on feeling “seen” and the problem of performative okayness in our culture.
Notable Quotes
“I really loved this unpleasant movie. Yeah, I really kind of threw both arms around a thing that doesn't want to be hugged. It's really prickly.”
— Walter Chow [03:42]
“There's not any joy in this film. And so as I was watching it, I could appreciate the artistry, but I had a hard time thinking about who it was for.”
— Christina Escobar [05:23]
“One of the choices... is the fact that we do not see the child's face. And it kind of reminds me of the inverse of the Muppet Babies, where, like, we never see Nanny's face.”
— Aisha Harris [08:27]
“It doesn't valorize or romanticize motherhood in a way that our culture is really bred to do... there are expectations placed on women in our culture.”
— Walter Chow [15:31]
“We do spend a lot of our energy and time right now walking around pretending like everything's okay. This sort of, like, performative okayness. And this is a movie that kind of openly rejects that and says, you know what? Things are kind of rough, actually, and you have good reason to be upset.”
— Walter Chow [18:12]
Final Thoughts
The hosts agree If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is a deeply polarizing, at times punishing film that may not appeal to most, but “shows something real” about overwhelmed women and the societal indifference to their plight. The conversation itself becomes a way of wrestling with discomfort, with all three critics ultimately seeing value in the film’s refusal to offer easy catharsis—or any at all.
“Happy to stare into the void with you, Aisha, anytime.”
— Christina Escobar [19:24]
“It was better than therapy.”
— Walter Chow [19:27]
For more Pop Culture Happy Hour episodes and discussion, visit plus.npr.org/happyhour.