Rose Byrne and If I Had Legs I’d Kick You Director Mary Bronstein Discuss Conan O'Brien at Sundance

Often being under-utilized in franchises like Insidious or sharing scenes with ensemble casts like in Bridesmaids, Rose Byrne hasn’t quite had the opportunity to flex her acting muscles as she does in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. This drama truly hones in on Byrne’s performance as she steps into the role of Linda, a mother whose life is crashing down around her. The film follows Linda as she struggles with her child’s mysterious ailment, a torrid relationship with her therapist, a missing person, and her absent husband, all while experiencing the acute effects of burnout. Byrne is also joined by a talented cast, including A$AP Rocky, Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Ivy Wolk, and Daniel Zolghadri.

Director Mary Bronstein takes the helm of the movie—her second feature film after Yeast (2008), a mumblecore comedy. She returns and collaborates with A24, landing with the If I Had Legs I’d Kick You’s dark feel, which also seeps into its bizarre, offbeat black humor. It becomes an unflinching look at motherhood as the endless responsibilities that Linda takes on encroach on her mental health, taking a life of its own as she gradually slips into delirium. An anxious energy pervades the entire film as the lack of support or assistance in Linda’s life truly takes a toll.

The comedy-drama premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2025, where Collider’s Steve Weintraub also had the opportunity to sit with Byrne and Bronstein in Collider’s media studio at the Rendezvous Cinema Center. They talk about Bronstein’s debut feature and her eye for talent, which is how she discerned Byrne’s suitability for this harrowing role and O’Brien’s hidden sensitivity that made him succeed as the therapist (without his iconic hair, of course). Byrne also recalls consistently performing at that emotional intensity while being under the microscope of a camera right in her face for close-ups. You can hear about Byrne teasing future projects, including the limited series The Good Daughter and Platonic Season 2, in the video above, or read along via the transcript below.

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