‘Tully,’ directed by Jason Reitman, is a thought-provoking comedy-drama film. It centres around Marlo, an exhausted woman who has recently given birth to her third kid, and tackles the complex issues of postpartum depression and the struggle with self-acceptance throughout motherhood. She becomes overwhelmed as she tries to combine her career, marriage, and three children with varying demands.

Tully, a night nanny hired by Marlo’s brother to assist her survive, suddenly alters her life. Both women begin to bond closely, and while Marlo is relieved, Tully’s presence begins to make her long for her former carefree self, leading to issues. As the film concludes, it not only raises awareness of the film’s topics, but also raises a number of issues. So, shall we strive to find out their solutions and comprehend ‘Tully’s’ shocking ending? SPOILERS FOLLOW.

Synopsis of the Tully Plot

‘Tully’ introduces the spectator to Marlo Moreau’s turbulent world, where she is expecting her third child with her husband Drew. She works as a public relations professional and struggles to manage her household, owing primarily to her spouse’s lack of assistance. Jonah, Marlo and Drew’s second kid, suffers from an undiagnosed developmental issue that triggers anxiety attacks due to his extraordinary responsiveness to external stimuli. This causes complications at school, and his mother is unable to actively care for him owing to her approaching due date.

Seeing Marlo’s anguish, her wealthy brother Craig offers to pay for a night nanny to assist ease the transition once the kid arrives. But she refuses to accept his assistance since she does not want a stranger to care for her child. She soon gives birth to a daughter called Mia, and her obligations triple. Furthermore, Marlo begins to lose self-confidence and feels distant from herself and the baby. Already exhausted and sleep-deprived, she lashes out at Jonah’s school principal when she considers transferring him to another school.

Marlo, feeling dejected, phones Tully, the night nanny Craig recommended, and invites her to join them. She is a 26-year-old woman who is open about her promiscuity and prefers to enjoy her life to the fullest. She and Marlo gradually bond, and the former begins to share all of her problems with her. Not only that, but Tully is extremely efficient at her job and assists Marlo in getting back on her feet and feeling confident again. While Drew and Craig are pleasantly delighted by Marlo’s behavior improvements, they are also curious because they have never met the night nanny in person.

Tully also pushes Marlo to reconnect with Drew and acknowledge her own childhood impulses. But one day, she arrives at work unhappy and reveals that she has been arguing with her female roommate over bringing many males home. When Marlo asks her to leave, she responds that she is romantically involved with her roommate and hence unable to go. Tully proposes that she and Marlo spend the night out in the city to take her mind off her troubles.

Despite his reservations, Marlo accepts and departs with Tully without alerting Drew or anyone else. The women drive to Marlo’s former Brooklyn neighborhood and have cocktails at a small tavern. Tully, on the other hand, unexpectedly notifies her that she will no longer be working for her. This perplexes Marlo because she has built a strong bond to her and is completely reliant on her for child rearing. Tully then says that her reason for visiting their home has been fulfilled, as she was just there to “bridge a gap.”

Marlo borrows a bicycle and rides to her former apartment, where she lived with her ex-girlfriend, in denial. Tully follows her there and tells her to return to her family, but her employer soon begins to experience agony as a result of her breasts being full for the baby. Tully manages to console Marlo despite the fact that they are far from home, and they continue driving home.

Unfortunately, both women become tired as a result of exhaustion, and Marlo falls asleep behind the wheel. She is startled awake by an oncoming vehicle and drives away, only to fall into the river with Tully. Marlo imagines her as a mermaid who visits her in her nightmares. Tully, the mermaid, assists her in getting out of the car and then departs while she passes out.

Tully’s Ending: Was There Really a Night Nanny?

Tully pays a visit to Marlo in the hospital after her accident to say farewell. She claims they can no longer be together because Marlo needs to learn to let go of the past and focus on her secure present with her husband and children. Tully tells Marlo that she needs to reclaim control of her life and that she would be fine without her. Elsewhere, the hospital’s psychiatrist informs Drew that his wife’s accident was caused by acute tiredness and lack of sleep.

When Drew attempts to fill out some insurance documents, he realizes that Tully is Marlo’s maiden name. When everything is put together, it is revealed that the night nanny, AKA Tully, was merely a fiction of Marlo’s brain, intended to distract her from her disturbed mental state. She suffered from postpartum depression after giving birth to Jonah, which most likely returned after Mia was born. When Marlo grew overwhelmed by her crowded schedule, she imagined Tully, who quickly became a lifesaver for her.

While Drew is not in the room, his wife verifies that Tully is the essence of her 26-year-old self. She learns she must stop longing for the past and make peace with her current situation. When a result, she convinces Tully that everything will be OK as she grows older and bids her goodnight. Marlo so lets go of the fake night nanny, who had served as an emotional crutch for her up until that point.

Do Marlo and Drew still have a relationship?

Marlo and Drew’s marriage has suffered from boredom and the obligations of two children over the years. When they discover they are expecting a third child, the gulf between them grows as they seek to get financial support for the child. Furthermore, when Marlo’s mental health deteriorates, she loses the energy to spend time with her husband, let alone develop an intimate relationship with him.

Meanwhile, Drew secretly hopes to reconnect with Marlo but is hesitant to tell her because of their increasing responsibilities. Not only that, but his wife gets irritated with him for not helping out at home because he is constantly out on business trips. Furthermore, she is sexually unfulfilled and resorts to watching erotica to keep herself entertained. Marlo becomes even more fatigued after Mia is born, and he barely has time to speak to Drew, deepening the gap between them. Things improve when Tully comes and takes over Mia’s responsibilities.

Marlo gradually returns to her normal self and becomes more involved with the family. She also tells Tully about her and Drew’s lack of intimacy one day. Tully recommends acting out one of his sexual fantasies, and she dresses up as a diner waitress in a costume Marlo had purchased. She then follows her into the bedroom and forms a threesome with Drew and Marlo. He is caught aback by this, but is relieved to reconnect with his wife.

When it is revealed that Tully was Marlo’s imagination, it is established that the latter was the one who seduced Drew in order to re-establish intimacy between them. He also recognizes the dreadful mental struggle his wife has been going through and apologizes to her for being an absent spouse. He expresses his love for her and vows to work on their marriage with her.

When Marlo returns home after a few days, Drew begins to take tiny initiatives to help with the kids and show his appreciation for his wife. As a result, they are able to save their marriage and give it a second shot. Furthermore, Marlo and Jonah’s equation improves.