Diablo Cody Responds To ‘Tully’ Criticism And Says Women “Have A Right” To Their Anger

“Tully” is a film we’ve been excited about for a long time. If you read our review from this year’s Sundance, the Diablo Cody-scripted film was a highlight for us. Now, the film is scheduled to be released this weekend nationwide, but even before its release, “Tully” has been the subject of some controversy. Since the film’s premiere and the inevitability of spoilers (which we won’t cover in this article), there have been women coming forward with criticisms of the film, particularly with Cody’s story.

Now, Diablo Cody is speaking out for the first time, and hoping to give some context for those who have concerns about the film’s heavy subject matter. In an interview with the New York Times, Cody opened up about dealing with the issues that Charlize Theron’s character faces in the film. “I don’t want anybody to think that I sat down and thought, ‘Oh, I’ll write a gripping and entertaining movie about something that I know nothing about,’” the writer said. “I would never presume to do that.”

“The mommy world is up in arms,” Cody continued. “I can see why there’s a lot of anger out there, and I think they have a right to it.”

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Without delving into spoilers, the controversy surrounds the film’s portrayal of postpartum depression. According to many women who have read spoilers, or seen the film, there are concerns that the subject matter of “Tully” could trigger women who have dealt with the issue in the past or currently dealing with it.

“I do think I’m transparent about the fact that I have had mental health issues. My heart goes out to anyone who’s dealt with this, honestly. Because it’s so ignored,” admits Cody.

One of the main reasons this film is so controversial is the marketing of the film, which positions Theron’s character as the center of a film about a mom just overwhelmed with her life. However, the trailers seem to focus on the humorous aspects of the film, leaving the heavy subjects out of the promotion.

“I’m frankly not surprised that the studio chose to emphasize the warmer, more relatable comedic elements of the movie,” she said. “The purpose of marketing is not to educate or to responsibly inform the consumer. They’re trying to sell tickets.”

However, Cody doesn’t shy away from the issues presented in the film. She just wants to let everyone know that this is something she wrote from her own life experiences. “I have had my own experiences and my own research,” Cody said.

And ultimately, as she mentioned above, postpartum depression is a topic that isn’t dealt with in many films, and while “Tully” has its own viewpoint, that doesn’t invalidate anyone’s concerns.

“One movie cannot possibly tell everyone’s story,” she concludes. “So why can’t we have 10 more movies?”