Her new movie, called "Tully," is further proof of that.
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She was so sleek as an "Atomic Blonde," but just as she did when she won an Oscar for "Monster," Theron demonstrates her remarkable range by morphing into a mom with three kids. The star showed her commitment to this new role by gaining 50 pounds!
"Mom, what's wrong with your body?" asks her character's preteen daughter.
Marlo also has a son with emotional problems. Then, she gives birth to a third child.
Warning: If you're thinking about having a baby, "Tully" will make you think twice.
The husband of Theron's character is too busy at work to be of much help at home, and they struggle financially, trying to rely as little as possible on her rich brother.
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"Do you know what a night nanny is?" the rich brother asks Marlo.
He explains that such a nanny, "takes care of the baby at night so mom and dad can get some sleep."
Marlo turns down his offer to hire the nanny until she can't take it anymore, and a young woman named Tully arrives at her door, telling her, "I'm here to take care of you."
Tully is played by Mackenzie Davis, who captivated me in the cable TV series, "Halt and Catch Fire," about the early days of Silicon Valley. She played a programmer in that show, and here she is just as capable.
As much as it's about motherhood, Tully is also about how difficult it can be to grow up.
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To quote from the film, "Your 20s are great. But then your 30s come around the corner like a garbage truck at 5 a.m."
The part of me that remembers my misspent youth and lengthy adolescence -- the guy who didn't get married until he was 40 years old -- really engaged with "Tully."
Screenwriter Diablo Cody is, herself, a mother of three and followed the traditional advice to "write what you know."
So I'm happy to join the chorus of critics full of praise for this movie.
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