If you’re looking for a film that is simultaneously sharp and funny, as well as deeply and deftly observational of the struggles of early motherhood, then I can’t recommend Tully enough.

Starring a fearless Charlize Theron as a mother of two – and then to an unexpected third, before a night nanny comes to offer her some relief – Tully is intimate, emotionally affecting, and in the end, an unexpectedly surprising film that should connect with audiences who are willing to seek out a smaller, darker movie about the joys and hardship of motherhood.

Marlo (Theron) is a mother of two, struggling to keep her head above water when an unexpected third enters the equation. Heavy bags under her eyes and a bloated middle (Theron gained 50lbs pounds for the role), she is obviously overworked and beyond tired, which her sweet but oblivious husband Drew (Ron Livingston) doesn’t notice. It leads her well-off brother Craig (Mark Duplass) to offer her the services of a night nanny to help when her newborn arrives. When Marlo welcomes child number three, she’s hesitant to accept Craig’s offer… until she can no longer say no. This is when we see the arrival of Tully (Mackenzie Davis) – a free-spirited bohemian living out her youthful twenties as a caretaker that swoops in at night and cares for the infant so Marlo can get a decent night’s sleep. Early hesitations turn into a real connection and friendship, in which Marlo re-connects with her younger self and a freer, lighter spirit allows her to feel good about herself. However, Tully goes even further when it shows Marlo’s dilemma of confronting the spirited night nanny on whether to continue using her services or continue mothering by herself.

Reitman crafts a very moving love letter to the tolls of motherhood and all that it demands.

In Tully, Charlize Theron takes on this role with full fire and commitment. It’s absolutely Theron’s movie, and she should be applauded for how far she takes this role that requires her to be so emotionally vulnerable that she hasn’t displayed since Young Adult, which no coincidence, was also directed Jason Reitman and penned by screenwriter Diablo Cody. Where Theron played a single woman looking to steal a married man away in Young Adult, she plays the exact opposite in Tully. They’re bookend performances, no doubt, and Tully showcases Theron as a serious actor willing to take o these sorts of demanding roles. Not to be forgotten, Mackenzie Davis is true magic onscreen, as her spirit is captivating at every turn and only promises more moving performances.

While Tully is a small movie that might not register with everyone, it’s rewarding in so many detailed ways. Reitman crafts a very moving love letter to the tolls of motherhood and all that it demands. It leans into its humor with another sharp piece of strong story and writing, both absolutely fearless as well as humorous. Theron, Reitman, and Cody manage to craft a sharp and funny movie with beautiful images and sequences that will stay in audiences’ heads for long after.

‘Tully’ is rated R for language and some sexuality/nudity. 95 minutes. Now playing in theaters everywhere.