 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Motherhood
- Review Date: October 18, 2009
- PG-13
- Genre: Drama
- 2009
Common Sense Media says
Parenting dramedy entertains but unlikely to appeal to kids.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this Uma Thurman dramedy offers a fairly unvarnished look at parenthood that will appeal much more to moms and dads (who will be able to relate to the subject matter) than to their kids. Teens who do opt in will find some humor in the movie's honesty about the challenges and hassles of having children, but younger kids may be put off by that same frankness. That said, the main characters clearly love their families ... even if they do sometimes yell at each other, swear (including "s--t" and one use of "f--k"), and make other mistakes.
What's the story?
Eliza Welsh’s (Uma Thurman) frenzied day begins the moment she sets one foot out of bed and onto the floor. From then on, it’s an energetic ballet that requires her to pirouette from school drop-offs to picking up the supplies for her daughter’s birthday party to walking the dog to snagging a discounted dress at a sample sale with her pregnant best friend (Minnie Driver), all while caring for her son and swapping schedules with her equally taxed husband, Avery (Anthony Edwards). And somewhere amid the chaos is a writing contest that Eliza, a parenting blogger, wants to enter so she can finally secure a regular paying gig ... if only she can find the time to gather her thoughts and distill what motherhood really means to her.
Is it any good?
There’s nothing in MOTHERHOOD that most of us haven’t already seen or read. But what a relief to hash through it again with empathy and humor. Short on originality but strong in voice and storytelling, this dramedy will have moms (and dads) relieved that an essential truth about parenting -- that on a daily basis, it really can be a numbing grind -- is presented as-is, without the requisite "of course it’s all worth it." The ecstasy outweighs the agony -- many parents say so -- but too often we feel guilty admitting the downsides.
Thurman goes unpretty here, and though it doesn’t really work (she’s still more glamorous than most moms), she surrenders to the role, and the film is better for it. A scene that has her confronting Avery (Edwards is excellent) is stunning in its authenticity. All the performances are spot on, actually, and a moment that has Eliza reliving her youth under the watchful gaze of an admirer is enervating. Best of all is the movie's faithful rendering of a day in a life of a Manhattan mom. Unlike in reality shows, they’re not all catty housewives. It's just too bad that an unlikely plot point near the end strains the credibility a little too far.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about Eliza’s daily life. Does it seem realistic or exaggerated for cinematic effect? Is it an accurate representation of modern family life?
What are the different styles of parenting that the movie references? What is it trying to say about motherhood and fatherhood? Are the parents in this movie good role models? Why or why not?
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AGE
listen
hate it it is horible never rent this movie
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AGE
Not worth watching... Boring...
My wife and I watched this one. Was quite boring... One sence referenced a women pleasuring herself with a childs bath toy. Bottom line the movie wasn't any good and not worth watching.
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AGE
Adults might like it a little; kids like me will HATE it!
I personally hated this movie, but CSM is right, mom's and dad's might like it. Definitely will not appeal to kids! First off, is the language. They use the word "****", c***, *******, a**, and much more. There's a lot of yelling on the streets. The role models are good and bad. One bad one is where a mom says "Clara's learning about in school this no smoking thing, which I think is great, but I say, everything in moderation" while smoking. Pretty bad role model... The good ones are the parents love and care for their kids. Smoking is present throughout the whole movie.They say many sex words in the movie like "S******, and "**********. There is one line a old woman says to someone she's angry at and that's really gross. At the end, the mom and dad kiss quite fiercely. A married woman flirts with a 22 year old and that part is pretty gross too. Overall, if your an adult and want an OK movie, watch this, but if you're a kid like me, don't watch at all. Too innapropiate and it's just plain boring.
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AGE
Felt identified
Slow, but I felt so identified. I recommend it to mothers WITH their husbands.
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AGE
Didn't finish the movie because it inappropriate for families.
About 15 minutes into the move a character yells the c--t word. PG 13 really? We let our 11year old watch PG 13 because we also have a 15 year old. It's bad enough the F bomb gets dropped one time almost every PG13 movie, now we are throwing the C bomb in the mix.
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| Studio: | Freestyle Releasing |
| Director: | Katherine Dieckmann |
| Cast: | Anthony Edwards, Minnie Driver, Uma Thurman |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Run time: | 90 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | October 23, 2009 |
| DVD release date: | February 23, 2010 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | language, sexual references and a brief drug comment |
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