‘Mia Madre’ is uneven but engaging

“Mia Madre,” about an overtaxed film director trying to cope with the terminal illness of her mother, is an odd movie:

Director Nanni Moretti goes back and forth from serious hospital scenes to slapstick antics at Margherita’s movie set — and the effect is jarring.

The good news is that Buy makes us care about this film director, and Moretti is wise enough to keep the Italian star’s considerable skills on display in almost every frame.