MOTHER’S DAY

US, 2016, 118 minutes, Colour.
Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Jason Sudeikis, Britt Robertson, Jack Whitesell, Timothy Olyphant, Aasiv Mandvi, Shay Mitchell, Margo Martindale, Robert Pine, Hector Elizondo, Jon Lovitz,.
Directed by Garry Marshall.

Garry Marshall has had a good reputation for making popular and very entertaining films, this coming to some kind of peak in 1990 with Pretty Woman and the emergence of Julia Roberts as a star. She has appeared in some of his other films including this one.

In recent years, Garry Marshall has made some films with celebration day titles, New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day. Though, for fans, it is not surprising for him to make Mother’s Day. And, as the fans would expect, there are some popular stars in the central roles and there are various stories, interconnected, and the theme of mothers, wives, marriage, separation, adoption…

The central story focuses on Sandy, Jennifer Aniston, with two sons, married for 13 years but her husband leaving her for a younger woman. She still has a hankering for him and is rather taken aback at his news about his new wedding, as well as the issues of custody of the two boys, her irritation with him and, especially, a wariness of the new young stepmother. This leads to serious scenes as well some comic scenes, especially at a family party with the ex-husband trapped in a waterslide.

She has a best friend, Jessie, Kate Hudson, who has some problems of her own. She is supportive of her sister, who is a lesbian and lives with her partner. They have not told their mother and father who hail from Texas – and who suddenly land in Atlanta to see their daughters and to discover what has been happening. Jessie has her own secret. her mother being particularly antipathetic to her marrying a man of Indian background – but she has and has a son. When mother and father, in their caravan, arrive for Mother’s Day, needless to say there are quite some problems, though this is the kind of film in which they will be, perhaps easily, resolved.

Sandy is a set designer and later hurries to an interview with the celebrity who appears on the shopping channel, Julia Roberts. Because Sandy is plucky, she is hired. But, Julia Roberts has concerns of her own – which the audience will click on to fairly quickly when there is a young couple with a child, working in a club where the young man is auditioning as a stand-up comedian. His partner has a secret about her adoption and wants to track down her birth mother. We know who.

There is also a story about a Marine who is a widower, Brad, Jason Sudeikis, whose wife has been killed in action. He looks after two daughters, a bit over-protective, who chances upon Sandy in confusion in a supermarket, sees her rather hysterical in her car, sees her coming into the gym where he works – and finally, when he falls on the roof performing karaoke at his children’s party, he encounters her once again at the hospital where she has had to take her asthmatic son.

This is the kind of film that is very popular with audiences, undemanding audiences, the kind of film which irritates art-house audiences who feel there is not enough depth in the characterisations or situations. But, for popular storytelling and raising serious issues at this entertainment level, Mother’s Day will fit the bill.

1. The title? The range of stories and emotions? The work of Garry Marshall, his similar compendium films?

2. The cast, in an enjoyable film, savagery from many critics?

3. The locations, with middle-class Americans, Atlanta, Georgia? The city, homes? The musical score?

4. The themes for Mother’s Day film, the role of mothers, marriage, husbands, children, commitment, separation, divorce, remarriage,
pregnancy?

5. Sandy’s story, Jennifer Aniston, 13 years of marriage, the two boys, the asthmatic boy, the bonds between the two brothers, Henry, divorce, custody, his visits, his seeming to flirt with Sandy, his news about remarriage? Sandy as a designer, her friendship with Jessie, her other friends, phone calls and conversations? Going to the gym? Her work as a designer, being late for the interview, causing the upset, Miranda and her reaction, Sandy getting the job? Her being upset about Tina, as stepmother, comparisons? The boys going to stay with their father and Tina, reactions, phone calls? Her providing for the party, the llamas, the clown and the disaster for Henry getting caught in the waterslide? Her blaming herself? The chance meeting with Bradley at the supermarket, her tantrum, in the car, the crisis, her son at the hospital, Henry and Tina, the chance meeting with Bradley and his girls?

6. Henry, 13 years married, leaving, still friendly with Sandy, visiting the kids, bringing them junk food? The announcement about his marriage? Tina, her age, character, glamour? The house, custody issues? In the waterslide? Tina, her concern, checking with Sandy, going to the hospital? The bonds?

7. Jesse in herself, Gabe as her sister, her lesbian partner? The parents not knowing, the Skype contacts? The float with the vagina? Jessie married to Russell, his Indian background, their son? The secret from the family? The parents and the surprise visit, hearing the truth, upset, going out into the caravan? Russell and his being upset with his wife’s lies, moving out? The phone call from Russell’s mother, Las Vegas? Flo and Russell’s mother, the talk, the bonding, a different attitude towards her grandchild? The return? In the van, no brakes, careering down the street – and everything contrived by Earl to resolve the situation? The jokes about the float? The happy ending?

8. Gabe, her partner, the float, her parents, sisterly and supporting Jessi, the comedy with the float? Coming out, acceptance?

9. Kristin and Zach, working in the club, the comic performances, the competition, Zach and his performances? Their daughter? Kristin unwilling to marry, Zach’s puzzle? The baby, Zach having to hold it during the performance – and its winning the cheque? Secrets?

10. Miranda, glamour, on the show, TV shopping and people ringing in, buying the pendants changing colour according to moods, Flo having one? Miranda’s work with her producer? The long years – and his being from Brooklyn? The issue of the design for the set, the interaction with Sandy, signing photos? Kristin coming to see her, their meeting in the Café, Kristin’s story of adoption, Miranda’s story, giving up the child, the arrangements with the parents, their sending the photo album, but keeping her away? Supporting Kristin for the wedding – and giving her away at the ceremony?

11. Bradley, the death of his wife, seeing her appear in the video, the karaoke, their life in the Marines? The two girls, their age, the father being protective, at home, strictness, the boy, at school, Bradley suspicions? Seeing Sandy at the supermarket and puzzling about her, seeing her in the car, seeing her at the gym but avoiding being seen by her? The girls, quoting Shakespeare, concerned about their father? The visits to the cemetery? Bradley in his performance, accepting the boyfriend, karaoke, falling at the window, in hospital, the encounter with Sandy?

12. Popular stories, emotional stories – for the mainstream audience?