Mother & Child (B or 3/4 stars)
'Mother & Child' (written & directed by Rodrigo Diaz, Nine Lives) is a melodrama centered around 3 women who've all been profoundly affected by adoption. The 3 women include a crabby 51 yr. old health care professional, the daughter she gave up for adoption 37 yrs. ago, & an African American woman looking to fill her life by adopting a child of her own. Each woman struggles through their lives; because of their varying mother/child relationships, or lack thereof. Annette Bening stars as Karen, the 51 yr. old who, as a teenager, gave a baby girl up for adoption. Her life has been rough. Her domineering mother's health is failing. She's socially inept around any man; even those she's attracted to (Jimmy Smits). And she's been haunted by the decision she had to make 37 yrs. prior; masking her sadness with a bitter disposition towards everyone around her. Can the ice melt around her inherently warm heart?
Naomi Watts plays Elizabeth, a smart & ambitious 30-something lawyer. She was adopted as a baby. But because of that, as an adult, she exudes a cold, hardened demeanor; masking her loneliness (at never knowing her real mother) with irreverence & blunt, sexual trysts. One such tryst involves her boss (Samuel L. Jackson), & another involves her married next door neighbor. And Kerry Washington plays the young, married, & unfortunately infertile Lucy. She really wants a child, but may not be on the same page with her husband (David Ramsey). Furthermore, motherhood may not be all it's cracked up to be for her. Happiness, tragedy, predictabilities, & even some surprises pepper the plot; making this one of the more sedate, but thought-provoking films of 2010.
'Mother & Child' is one of those quiet, leisurely art films that is far more impressive for its acting prowess than it is for producing a riveting narrative. Rodrigo Garcia writes & directs with little flare; which is fine because the actors are SO good. But the aforementioned narrative is a tad too choppy to make for a truly 'great' film. In other words, the actors transfixed me. They kept me watching; even through the slow sections. But the movie is better for its individual parts than it's sketchy whole. Certain plot points gloss over and we're expected to take the next scene at face value; just figuring that point B existed to get from point A to C. All that said, those strong individual parts (if not the whole) are good enough to warrant a recommendation.
Thematically, the movie will mean more to mothers & their children; obviously. The film touches on the emotional bond btwn. them; and the emptiness in their soul(s) when they're apart. The movie also goes to show how motherhood can determine how womanly you are, & how 'worthy' you are. All 3 female characters harbor unsavory attitudes at various points of their lives, & all 3 soften as the prospect of 'motherhood' gets nearer to them - in one way or another.
Annette Bening is excellent, here. With 'The Kids are All Right', and now this, she's having quite the year. I enjoyed her nuances, her transformation, & her realistic relationship with the Jimmy Smits character. At first, I thought Naomi Watts was typecast as the cold, blonde bitch. But she, like Bening, brings great subtlety & fascinating transformation to the performance. Kerry Washington is stellar, as well. Everyone is. 'Mother & Child' offers one of the best examples of ensemble acting all year. So, when all is said & done, I'm satisfied with what I watched. I enjoyed the laidback storytelling. I enjoyed the restraint & insight into the world of adoption. But 'M&C' is just a slightly contrived, sappy (especially near the end) story. And I just wasn't bowled over. Movies like this, when done exceedingly well, usually bowl me over. As it is, it's passable, enriching entertainment for those wanting a low-key evening on the couch.
Naomi Watts plays Elizabeth, a smart & ambitious 30-something lawyer. She was adopted as a baby. But because of that, as an adult, she exudes a cold, hardened demeanor; masking her loneliness (at never knowing her real mother) with irreverence & blunt, sexual trysts. One such tryst involves her boss (Samuel L. Jackson), & another involves her married next door neighbor. And Kerry Washington plays the young, married, & unfortunately infertile Lucy. She really wants a child, but may not be on the same page with her husband (David Ramsey). Furthermore, motherhood may not be all it's cracked up to be for her. Happiness, tragedy, predictabilities, & even some surprises pepper the plot; making this one of the more sedate, but thought-provoking films of 2010.
'Mother & Child' is one of those quiet, leisurely art films that is far more impressive for its acting prowess than it is for producing a riveting narrative. Rodrigo Garcia writes & directs with little flare; which is fine because the actors are SO good. But the aforementioned narrative is a tad too choppy to make for a truly 'great' film. In other words, the actors transfixed me. They kept me watching; even through the slow sections. But the movie is better for its individual parts than it's sketchy whole. Certain plot points gloss over and we're expected to take the next scene at face value; just figuring that point B existed to get from point A to C. All that said, those strong individual parts (if not the whole) are good enough to warrant a recommendation.
Thematically, the movie will mean more to mothers & their children; obviously. The film touches on the emotional bond btwn. them; and the emptiness in their soul(s) when they're apart. The movie also goes to show how motherhood can determine how womanly you are, & how 'worthy' you are. All 3 female characters harbor unsavory attitudes at various points of their lives, & all 3 soften as the prospect of 'motherhood' gets nearer to them - in one way or another.
Annette Bening is excellent, here. With 'The Kids are All Right', and now this, she's having quite the year. I enjoyed her nuances, her transformation, & her realistic relationship with the Jimmy Smits character. At first, I thought Naomi Watts was typecast as the cold, blonde bitch. But she, like Bening, brings great subtlety & fascinating transformation to the performance. Kerry Washington is stellar, as well. Everyone is. 'Mother & Child' offers one of the best examples of ensemble acting all year. So, when all is said & done, I'm satisfied with what I watched. I enjoyed the laidback storytelling. I enjoyed the restraint & insight into the world of adoption. But 'M&C' is just a slightly contrived, sappy (especially near the end) story. And I just wasn't bowled over. Movies like this, when done exceedingly well, usually bowl me over. As it is, it's passable, enriching entertainment for those wanting a low-key evening on the couch.