BAD MOMS 2

US, 2017, 104 minutes, Colour.

Mila Kunis, Kristin Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Cheryl Hines, Christine Baranski, Susan Sarandon, Justin Hartley, Peter Gallagher, Wanda Sykes, Cade Mansfield Cooksey.
Directed by Jon Lucas, Scott Moore.

A year ago, Bad Moms seems to have touched the funnybone of the wide audience, characters, oddball situations, plenty of vulgar touches, but quite funny in its way. It was obviously popular because, within a year, here is a sequel.

Once again, this one seems to touch the funnybone, the characters, even more oddball situations, and, of course, plenty of vulgar touches. But, again, quite funny in its way and destined to be very popular. It would not be surprising to see the Bad Moms in the future – though Bad Dads is promised.

The same team of Jon Lucas and Scott Moore (amongst others, the three Hangover films) are responsible. In the three moms, they created three quite different characters, Mila Kunis as Amy is in the centre, exasperated at home, divorce, bringing up the children, and fond of a friendly neighbour, Jay Hernandez, who has a daughter. Then there is Kiki, Kristin Bell, a nice, more simple mother, loving her children and her devoted husband, wary of letting her hair down. On the other hand, there is the brash and boisterous Carla, Kathryn Hahn, blunt in manner and language, not afraid of a drink, daring the other mothers to come out of themselves. And they did.

So, what are the filmmakers to do for a sequel?. They had a very bright idea: introduce the mothers of the moms. And they employed a very good cast to portray these dominant and intruding (well not all of them) mothers.

Each of the mothers has very a strongly delineated character and we welcome their appearances. To that extent, they steal the show.

And who are they? Even dominating the dominating mothers is Christine Baranksi as Amy’s mother. She can steal any film or television show in which she appears. She is Ruth who behaves ruthlessly. A formidable presence, dragging along her dominated but genial husband, Peter Gallagher, taking over the house, taking over Christmas – but, we look forward to her humiliation; but, we hope, something of a conversion. On the other hand, there is Cheryl Hines as Kiki’s emotionally dominating mother, utlrasweet, insinuating herself into every aspect of her best friend/daughter’s life – with an amusing therapist sequence with Wanda Sykes. We look forward to her process of unclinging.

As might be expected, Carla’s mother is the opposite, an absent mother, a gambler, often stoned, but making an impression because she is played by Susan Sarandon. We look forward to seeing whether she can settle down.

It is Christmas – and Jesus himself might be well-exasperated at the pressures of all aspects of commercialised Christmas and expectations (though there is scene at Midnight Mass and Kiki’s mother does mention that it is Jesus’ birth). We share with the mums and moms together in crisis over the five days to Christmas, Ruth organising everyone, the three mothers sharing a drink to escape and entangling with Santa Claus, as well as some Santa Claus strippers, one of whom, Ty (Justin Hartley), a fairly simple soul, who sees into the depths of Carla.

Mess, mayhem, exasperated swearing, jokes about sex and marriage, a bit of female ogling, but somehow or other it comes together much better than we might have anticipated.

1. The success of the original? The need for a sequel? Popularity? And the potential for another sequel? Characters, situations, the raucous tone, breaking stereotypes?

2. The American city, homes, shopping malls, bars, Church? The Christmas focus, commercialism, decorations, gifts, Santa Claus, carol singing competitions, the minimal attention given to the meaning of Christmas? The carols, the scene in the Church? The reference to Jesus’ birth?

3. The musical score, the songs, Christmas, the carols?

4. The title, the focus on the moms? And now the focus on the grandmothers?

5. The opening, the mayhem in the house, the mess, the camel, Amy and her reflections?

6. The presentation of family in the film? The moms, the relationships with spouses, boyfriends? With their children? Affection and care for children? The presentation of the grandmothers, their relationships with their daughters, dominating, possessive, not caring? The contrast between the generations?

7. Amy as the central character? Her children? The divorce? The managing? Her relationship with Jesse, his daughter? The past experiences with Kiki and Carla? The effect on her, loosening her up? Wanting a low-key Christmas? The preparations, the decorations, the gifts? The news of her mother’s arrival? The past relationship with her mother, her mother dominant, wanting perfection? Snobbery? Her father and his being subservient to his wife? Yet his final wisdom, talking about love and his wife’s sense of inferiority? Amy and her continued exasperation, wanting to defy her mother? Her mother seeming to concede, the party was all guests, Amy’s exasperation, ousting everyone, making the mess? Her getting her support from her friends, going out, talking, the episode with Santa and the children, going to the bar the strippers, drinking?

8. Kiki, more conventional, love for her husband, children? Her mother arriving, a mother at 18, the bond with her daughter, even her hairstyle, the clothes with her daughter’s picture? In the house, even sitting in the bedroom? Her possessiveness, their going to the therapist? Kiki and her exasperation? Her mother buying the house next door? Kiki and the support from her friends?

9. Carla, raucous, her work in massage, the waxing, the range of clients before Christmas? Outgoing, the touch of the crass? Her mother’s arrival? The irony of her name, Isis? Her mother turning up, wanting money, stoned, memories of the past, her neglect of her daughter, years between visits? Carla exasperated yet loving her mother, giving the money? At work, the stripper coming for waxing, the attraction, his talking? Going to the club, seeing him perform? The bond? The support of her friends?

10. The men taking a backseat? Kiki’s husband and nice? Jesse and his being agreeable? And his being mistaken for a Hispanic servant by Ruth? Ti, fireman, the genial stripper, turning up at the dinner?

11. The humorous scene with the therapist, Kiki and her desperation, her mother oblivious, and the wry observations of the therapist?

12. The focus on the grandmothers? Ruth, strong presence, manner, dress, the bad relationship with her own demanding mother? Dominating her husband, for 35 years? Arrival, staying many days, taking control of the house, the decorations, bossing everybody around? Not taking notice of Amy? Always having gifts for the children? The plan for the party? Decorating the house? The contrast with Kiki’s mother, coming from the country, loving her daughter, identifying with her, the hair style? The discussions, forever present, in the bedroom? Her running away from the therapy session? Going to the church after Kiki being frank? Isis, on the lookout for trouble, her past, relationship with Carla, her presence, her ironic comments? Getting the money and eventually moving out?

13. The three mothers in the church, the carols, midnight mass? Ruth in high dungeon, Kiki wanting the spiritual atmosphere, Isis and her change of heart? The discussions, Ruth reflecting and very reluctant apologies? The effect on the others?

14. Amy coming to the church, reconciling with her mother? The coming home, doing the cleanup? The house rather more ordinary for Christmas? The kids and the presents? The tree and chopping it down? Kiki and her mother, selling the house and going back to Montana? Isis and her promising to return the money and stop gambling?

15. The Christmas celebration, everybody together, the spirit of Christmas and reconciliation?