The Mother
Release Date:
May 28, 2004
Limited release
On the Big Board |
| Position |
Staff |
In Brief |
| 124/133 |
Dan Krovich |
Interesting premise, dull execution |
Dysfunctional families always seem to be good candidates for film screenplays. They can be as bizarre as the filmmakers want to create them. This is the story of one such family going through a series of crises.
When May’s (Anne Reid) husband dies suddenly, she decides she can’t go back to her old home because she’ll just wither away. Her daughter Paula (Cathryn Bradshaw) sees this as a golden opportunity to have a live-in babysitter for her daughter since she’s struggling as a single parent.
May’s son Bobby (Steven Mackintosh) also lives nearby and is having his house remodeled by Paula’s lover, Darren (Daniel Craig). Paula’s been having trouble with Darren lately and asks for her mother’s assistance. She gets more than she bargained for. May heads over to Bobby’s house to meet Darren and ends up making mad, passionate love with him. Is this family dysfunctional enough for you? The whole situation breaks down and May is left even lonelier than before.
This film was made in the United Kingdom on a “shoestring” budget of a reported $2.5 million during the summer of 2002. It had its world premiere during the Directors Fortnight portion of the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. Sony Pictures Classics thought it had potential so they bought the U.S. distribution rights. (Marty Doskins/BOP)
|
|
|
|
Tweet
