If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, one of the latest feature films from A24, offers a brutally raw look at parenthood from the perspective of a struggling mother. With this 2025 movie schedule entry, writer/director Mary Bronstein not only ups the feeling of uneasiness by employing many close-up shots but also utilizes audio-based techniques. Chief among those is a creaking noise that comes into play at certain points of the film. Bronstein has since spoken to CinemaBlend about her rationale for those effects.
At the center of this psychological dramedy’s story is Linda (Rose Byrne), who struggles to care for her daughter – who has an undisclosed medical condition – while her husband (Christian Slater) is on a lengthy business trip. The situation only gets tougher when their apartment becomes flooded and Linda and her little girl must temporarily move into a motel. Throughout the film, there are emotionally tense moments that are accompanied by the aforementioned noise (which even creeped me out during my screening).
Mary Bronstein didn’t add those sounds on a whim, of course. When she spoke to me, alongside Byrne and Slater, she explained that sound was very important for the film. One reason for that is that the movie has no traditional score. Bronstein also revealed that she was inspired by a very specific (and iconic) director when formulating her approach to sound:
I mean, one thing that’s unusual about this film is, you know, it has no traditional score, so everything is sound design, even the things that sound like it would be score, those are all sound design. I was very inspired by how David Lynch uses sound in Eraserhead. The idea of using sound design as another expressive tool to add into a scene to, like, you said, bring up the tension or bring up the creepiness, or whatever the emotion that I’m trying to do. And so there’s some points in the film where there’s even, like transitions between scenes where there’s a rumbling that you can feel in your chest cavity.
David Lynch, who passed away earlier this year, is certainly a strong and unique filmmaker to take cues from. Eraserhead – which is the first feature film ever helmed by Lynch – still stands as one of his most eclectic titles, and it uses sound in a wide range of interesting ways.
When it comes to If I Had Legs, Bronstein’s last comment perfectly describes what it feels like to take in those creaking noises. But, as unsettling as they may be at times, the sounds do work hand in hand with the narrative. Given that they happen at pivotal moments for Linda, it feels like each creak signifies the further breakdown of her psyche. Bronstein and co.’s masterful use of sound goes beyond those uncomfortable creaks. The filmmaker later discussed her desire for all of the audio cues to be visceral for viewers:
In working with my sound designers, all of the sounds in the film that even seem like they’re real are all heightened, and it starts out that way at the beginning when you hear these birds out the window. They’re a little too perfect, they’re a little too loud, you don’t think about it. But then, as the film goes on, the sound becomes more and more abstract, until, like you say, we’re hearing sounds that are really there to up the scariness.
The theatrical experience figures into all of this as well. Mary Bronstein wants her latest film to be an immersive experience for audiences, and that’s helped along by the speakers present in cinemas:
I’m also using the theater as a tool. So, if you’re seeing the film in a theater, if a sound is behind Linda, you hear it behind you. If it’s in front, you hear it over there. And then, by the end, we’re surrounded. We’re completely surrounded, and you can’t get away from it, and it’s another way to create claustrophobia.
Put simply, this is nerve-wracking cinema that’s on par with some of the best A24 films like Good Time, Uncut Gems and Civil War. Of course, there’s more to If I Had Legs than the impressive sound design. There’s also an emotionally affecting story and strong performances from the exceptional Rose Byrne, a game ASAP Rocky, a pleasantly surprising Conan O’Brien and more. Still, those who want to experience Bronstein’s film to its fullest – complete with the uncomfortable noises – should check this out in a theater.
On that note, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is now playing nationwide, so take a look at your local listings. Be sure to also read up on upcoming A24 movies, as there are a number of them lined up.