Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Obsessively controlling mom seeks revenge; violence, sex.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 13+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Nobody Dumps My Daughter
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
NOBODY DUMPS MY DAUGHTER is about Mary (Ana Ortiz), a Texas mother who paid to have Jimmy (Aiden Howard), a perfectly nice high school boy, murdered because he politely broke off his three-month relationship with Theresa (Jasmine Vega), Mary's 17-year-old daughter. According to Mary's twisted, superstitious, and supposedly religious thinking, her daughter's virginity, which the girl consensually gave up, could be "restored" if the person who "stole" it died. Mary calls the boy to tell him he needs to get back together with Theresa and inappropriately confronts the boy's father, accusing him of raising his son incorrectly. Mary's anger issues are on display when she blames her tarot card-reader Anna (Sheila E.), who Mary claims misled her into believing the boy would marry her daughter. Can Mary be stopped?
Is It Any Good?
To the degree that Nobody Dumps My Daughter incites outrage and incredulity in the viewer, this movie is a success. That doesn't mean it's fun to watch a mom with off-the-charts gall and entitlement brazenly and without a moment of soul-searching end a charming young man's life for what she believes is a good reason. The notion that in 1992, a mother, however traditional and religious, would expect the first boy her 17-year-old daughter dated to be a realistic marriage prospect is paradoxical. If the girl has the wisdom and judgment to pick a forever mate at that age, then she certainly wouldn't need the level of interference in her life that the mother engages in.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what to do when a parent displays signs of mental instability. Was there anything dutiful daughter Theresa could have done to keep her mother from tragically interfering with her life?
Do you wonder where Mary's husband, a seemingly rational Texas surgeon, was while his wife was becoming increasingly entangled in their daughter's life?
Do you think overbearing parents can stifle a child's ability to learn how to make good decisions on their own? How does this movie illustrate that problem?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 12, 2024
- Cast : Ana Ortiz , Jasmine Vega , Sheila E , Aiden Howard
- Director : Stanley M. Brooks
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s) , Latino Movie Actor(s)
- Studios : Netflix , Lifetime
- Genre : Drama
- Topics : Family Stories ( Moms )
- Run time : 87 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : April 20, 2026
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