Parents' Guide to

Mommy

By Renee Longstreet, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Intense tale of unstable teen full of profanity, violence.

Movie R 2015 139 minutes
Mommy Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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age 14+

Based on 1 parent review

ASDmom629
ASDmom629 Adult
January 22, 2022
age 14+

A truthful reality for some for others to gain a better understanding

This story shows a reality some moms of disabled children live everyday. We are judged so harshly and blamed for our children's behavior, but often no efforts by parents, schools, or anything else fix the behaviors. Once children are too big and dangerous to keep safe, some parents must make a very tough decision and none of the choices are good or easy. This movie shows the harsh reality of all involved by a child having a disability the child himself can't control. There is bad language, but honestly most children hear it from peers if not from real life. It's definitely made for adults. Some adults might learn some compassion from watching this so the next time they see a disabled person acting badly, they might not be so quick to blame the parent or judge the person.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
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What's the Story?

MOMMY explores the volatile relationship between an erratic 15-year-old boy and his brash mom who loves him but is ill-equipped to deal with his behavior. Steve (played with integrity and ferocity by Antoine Olivier Pilon) has been diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactive disorder) as well as an attachment disorder, which together result in violent outbursts, uncontrollable rages, barely hidden sexual urges, and a continual desire for attention and confrontation. His widowed mother, Diane (the gifted, brave Anne Dorval), is forced to bring Steve home to live with her after a series of social service agencies and schools have thrown up their hands; his last offense was setting fire in the cafeteria, severely burning a classmate. Though without financial resources, a job, or the support of friends or family, Diane steels herself for the task, holding out faint hope for change and stability. An unexpected friendship with a fragile neighbor (Suzanne Clement) provides some respite. Both women see a spark of intelligence, charm, and a loving nature beneath Steve's outrageous behavior. But it's an uphill battle, worsened when Diane is sued by the family of the burned boy, sending the overwhelmed mother into attack mode and further endangering her broken son.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (3):

Visually stunning scenes, courageous performances, a talented director with a gift for joining music with story, and a heart-rending, tragic dilemma combine to make this an unforgettable movie. The strong language, angry outbursts, sexual undercurrents, and emotional anguish will and should keep young audiences away. There's no escapism here, only brilliantly constructed and realized truth, which raises complicated and unanswerable questions. For very mature teens only and best when watched with sensitive adults.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how music enhances this story. What does the music tell you about Steve? About Diane? How does music enable these two people to communicate with one another?

  • The film was purposefully projected in a square format, not usual in contemporary films. Did you notice that occasionally the film widened out for a particular sequence? What was the filmmaker hoping to convey to his audience by using each of these techniques? For movie buffs, look up the film term "aspect ratio."

  • How did the constant use of obscenities and swearing affect your viewing? Was it shocking at first? Did it become more acceptable as the film continued? How did Steve's use of such language help define his emotions?

Movie Details

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