'MOTHER AND CHILD': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Rodrigo Garcia writes and directs this melodramatic adoption movie. It stars Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Shareeka Epps, Samuel L. Jackson and Jimmy Smits. The film debuted at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and 2010 Sundance Film Festival before receiving a limited release theatrical run. It was shot on a mere $7 million budget and has garnered mostly positive reviews from critics (although not glowing). Some talk award nominations for some of the acting like Bening and Watts but the movie as a whole isn't good enough and the acting will be overlooked as well (although it might be deserving).
The film revolves around three women each dealing with different aspects of adoption. There's Karen (Bening), a single bitter health care worker who gave up her child at age 14. She has an abusive attitude towards everyone including a new co-worker (Smitts) who could be a possible romantic interest. There's Elizabeth (Watts), a single lawyer who still has problems dealing with the fact that her birth mother gave her up for adoption. She's extremely confident and controlling and manipulates both her married neighbor (Marc Blucas) and her much older boss (Jackson) into sexual affairs. Things get complicated when she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Then there's Lucy (Washington), a happily married woman who can't have a child of her own and wants nothing more than to be a mother. She meets Ray (Epps), a young mother looking for the perfect couple to raise her child after giving it up at birth. She likes Lucy but certainly puts her through a test before agreeing to sign over her baby to her.
The movie sort of plays out like a network TV movie or mini-series but much better made. It does delve into a lot of melodrama and gets a little over the top at times but the acting is outstanding and it does have a nice theatrical touch that certainly lifts it above TV movie standards. Some argue that the film contains a discouraging anti-adoption message but I don't know if I believe that's entirely true (although I can see the case to be made for it). My biggest problem with the movie is that the lead characters are so unlikeable (mainly Karen, Elizabeth and Ray). Still the acting is nearly flawless and the characters are mostly believable despite their unlikeable characteristics. The film is far from perfect but it has moments and is far from bad as well.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YDpWRaEnYQ
Rodrigo Garcia writes and directs this melodramatic adoption movie. It stars Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington, Shareeka Epps, Samuel L. Jackson and Jimmy Smits. The film debuted at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival and 2010 Sundance Film Festival before receiving a limited release theatrical run. It was shot on a mere $7 million budget and has garnered mostly positive reviews from critics (although not glowing). Some talk award nominations for some of the acting like Bening and Watts but the movie as a whole isn't good enough and the acting will be overlooked as well (although it might be deserving).
The film revolves around three women each dealing with different aspects of adoption. There's Karen (Bening), a single bitter health care worker who gave up her child at age 14. She has an abusive attitude towards everyone including a new co-worker (Smitts) who could be a possible romantic interest. There's Elizabeth (Watts), a single lawyer who still has problems dealing with the fact that her birth mother gave her up for adoption. She's extremely confident and controlling and manipulates both her married neighbor (Marc Blucas) and her much older boss (Jackson) into sexual affairs. Things get complicated when she finds herself unexpectedly pregnant. Then there's Lucy (Washington), a happily married woman who can't have a child of her own and wants nothing more than to be a mother. She meets Ray (Epps), a young mother looking for the perfect couple to raise her child after giving it up at birth. She likes Lucy but certainly puts her through a test before agreeing to sign over her baby to her.
The movie sort of plays out like a network TV movie or mini-series but much better made. It does delve into a lot of melodrama and gets a little over the top at times but the acting is outstanding and it does have a nice theatrical touch that certainly lifts it above TV movie standards. Some argue that the film contains a discouraging anti-adoption message but I don't know if I believe that's entirely true (although I can see the case to be made for it). My biggest problem with the movie is that the lead characters are so unlikeable (mainly Karen, Elizabeth and Ray). Still the acting is nearly flawless and the characters are mostly believable despite their unlikeable characteristics. The film is far from perfect but it has moments and is far from bad as well.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YDpWRaEnYQ