MOTHER’S DAY

Poland, 2023, 93 minutes, Colour.

Agnieszka Grochowski, Adrian Delikta, Darius Chojnacki, Paulina Chrusciel, Pawel Koslik, Szymon Wroblewski.

Directed by Mateusz Rakowicz.

It must have been the zeitgeist of 2022-2023 but Netflix released two films at much the same time, The Mother with Jennifer Lopez, the Polish film, Mother’s Day, with Agnieszka Grochowski. They have similar themes, tough women who have served in special operations, their child abducted, their going to the rescue, bringing to bear all their skills in fighting and martial arts.

They both have the kind of plot that reminds audiences of Liam Neeson and the Taken series. These two films might make Liam Neeson somewhat envious!

We are introduced to Nina, retired from Special Ops for 20 Years, working the crane on the disposed cars yard, allegedly dead, visiting her gravestone in the cemetery. She does get involved, on Mother’s Day, with a group of toughs, illustrating her skills – but, in all her work and fights, being wounded, always vulnerable. She has given up her son for adoption but watches him in his adoptive family through her binoculars.

She becomes exposed, the target of thugs who want to capture her – and one of the oddest psychopaths on screen played by Szymon Wroblewski. However, while she rescues her son, she is tricked, wounded, and her son in the power of hostile authority. There is a twist in the plot when her government confidante is revealed as setting up the whole plot for money and care of his daughter.

Plenty of fights – and happy ending

1. The title? The background of the celebration in Poland? The scenes of mothers, Nina, Max and his adoptive mother?
2. The Polish crime and action show, the popularity of these films in the 2020s?
3. Nina’s story, her background, NATO and Special Ops, her technical skills, martial arts skills? 20 years earlier, the clashes with the Serbians, her relationship with her husband, his ethnic background, their son, giving up for adoption, her disappearing, the visit to the cemetery and her gravestone? Her working with the crane with the used cars? No personal life? The introduction, the talking young men, immediately going into fighting them? Yet her own injuries?
4. The situation with Igor, his knowing her background, the visit to the cemetery, the discussions, keeping her cover? The later revelation of his betrayal, his money motivation, connection with the woman who was boss, the government meeting, the accusations against him, in the car, the guns, the crash, the confrontation with Nina?
5. Max, his age, adopted, relationship with his adoptive parents, their care for him? Nina, watching the family through the binoculars? Igor and his criticisms?
6. The Serb background, tracking down Nina, the group of thugs, Tytus and his failures, Woltomiertz, his position, what he was wearing, the orgies atmosphere, the electricity, his attack on Titus, killing him? His relationship with a gang? The going out to confront Nina, the fights, her defeating so many of the attackers, the confrontation with Woltomeirtz, the electricity, standing her, the fight and her killing him?
7. The higher authorities, the older woman, memories of the past, the consultations, the phone calls, orders? The abduction of Max?
8. Max, his being abducted, held, Nina finding him, his suspicions, reactions? Her hiding him? Her fights, his watching?
9. Max being taken, with the older woman, Nina coming, the discussions, her taking Max away?
10. Igor, the revelation about the scenario, to pursue Nina? And the haunted money, the police, Igor taking it?
11. Nina, revealing the truth to Max, the box with the photos, delivering him home, the response of the parents? And her later visits? The possibility for her future?