OTHERHOOD

US, 2019, 100 minutes, Colour.
Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, Felicity Huffman, Jake Hoffman, Jake Lacey, Sinqua Walls, Heidi Gardner, Damien Young, Frank de Julio.
Directed by Cindy Chupack.

The title does come up as Motherhood but the M falls off leaving the present title, the trials of motherhood for middle-aged mothers who have let their sons go out into the world but who do expect contact, some affection, especially on Mother’s Day – and, when it doesn’t come, they have a meeting and decide to driver drive down from Connecticut to New York to check on their sons.

The film is directed by Cindy Chupac who was responsible for, amongst other things, Sex and the City, this film giving the opportunity to its stars to let their hair down somewhat as they visit New York.

It is quite a range of actresses who portray the mothers, Angela Bassett living by herself, love of flowers, regretting her son who edits a men’s magazine, not sending flowers for Mothers’ Day. Patricia Arquette is a rather clinging mother, her son preferring to be far away from her. Felicity Huffman has had several husbands. Her son has come out, she is rather a prima donna in her dealings with her friends as well is as with her son and his friends, especially when she discovers that he is come out to his father before her.

The film is episodic, Angela Bassett staying with her son and catching him in compromising situations but, eventually going out on the town, dancing, something which she loves, drinking and letting her hair down. Patricia Arquette, stays with her son who is willing her to leave, is promoting a girl whom he might marry, has been critical of the girl he does want to marry. And, as mentioned, Felicity Huffman has all the melodramatics.

Interesting to see the actresses in middle age with these performances and observing how the sons behave in their own lives, towards their mothers, and possibilities of reconciliation and more mature relationships between mothers and sons.

1. The title? Motherhood and the dropping of the M

2. An American light comedy – with serious undertones? Some raucous humour? Some sentiment?

3. A film for women, women over 50, the experience of motherhood, children going out into the world, distance? Reconsidering their lives and the relationship with their children? Wanting to do something about it? Assert themselves, re-connect? Learn of their mistakes and admit them?

4. The introduction to the three mothers and the themes, the backgrounds, bringing up their children, the friendships over the years, the relationship with husbands (and the later revelation of infidelity)? Mother’s Day, no phone calls or flowers? Carol alone sending herself flowers? The meeting, regrets, the decision to go to New York City? The musical score and songs – these boots are made for walking?

5. The introduction to the three sons, Matthew, magazine executive, sexual title, for young men, and ogling women? His own relationships? Daniel, wanting to write a novel, lonely, depressed, the proposal to Erin and her relationship with her coach? Paul, gay, his relationship with Frank, friends, his job? Coming out to his father, not to his mother?

6. The three women, the arrival, Carol moving in with her son, his shock? His explanations about lack of contact with his mother? Staying, cooking, concerned? Helen, unable to go to her sons, in the hotel? Meeting up, the issue is not coming out to her but to his father? His accusations of her self-centredness? Her next marriage? Julian, talking with her son, his being morose, not wanting her there, telling her to shut the door when she left?

7. The effect on each of the women, Carol and her makeover, her hair, liking to dance, dressing up, and to the party, drinking, meeting Juliet? The consequences? Finding her son and the underage girl? Reprimanding him? Helen, her melodramatics, the discovery of the sperm donation, Paul’s distancing her from the child? His explanations? The fact that the child was born, her going on the shopping spree, meeting Andrea in the park, bonding? Julian, telling the story about her husband’s infidelity, Daniel and his reaction, his mother setting him up with the girl and the conversation in the restaurant, the issue of the ring, Aaron and her doing the hairstyling, her going to California, his mother urging Daniel to pursue Erin, chasing the van, driving it to California? New Year

8. a year later, Erin pregnant, the wedding? Helen and the argument with her two friends, their denunciations? The wedding and the reconciliation? Mat and Juliet arriving with Carol coming home from Italy and her artwork there?

9. The touch of the American raucous, the director and her work on Sex and the city, truth is told, bonds reconciled, sentiment?