Parents' Guide to

The Perfect Mother

By Melissa Camacho, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 15+

Murder mystery thriller has violence, drugs, sexual content.

TV Netflix Drama 2022
The Perfect Mother TV show poster in English.

A Lot or a Little?

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

  • The Perfect Mother TV show: Anya.
  • The Perfect Mother TV show: Helene meets Anya at the police station.
  • The Perfect Mother TV show: Helene and Vincent.

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What's the Story?

Based on Nina Darnton's book of the same name, THE PERFECT MOTHER (aka Une mere parfaite) is a dramatic thriller about a mother who's convinced her daughter is innocent of murder until she's confronted with her lies. When Anya Berg (Eden Ducourant) is accused of killing a young man in his own apartment, her mother Hélène (Julie Gayet) rushes to Paris to help her, leaving behind husband Matthias (Andreas Pietschmann) and her teenage son Lukas (Maxim Drisen) in Germany. She quickly realizes that clearing her daughter's name will not be as easy as she thought, and reaches out to former lover and police officer-turned-attorney Vincent Duc (Tomer Sisley) for help. As the two search for evidence that will exonerate her daughter, Hélène discovers that Anya's life in Paris up until that point wasn't all it seemed to be. Meanwhile, investigators are uncovering more clues in the case, and Anya continues to change her story, forcing Hélène to wonder if, and how, her daughter was involved.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say Not yet rated
Kids say (2):

The French, German, and Belgian co-production offers an entertaining mystery thriller that's easy to get caught up in. The narrative unfolds over four episodes, and each one offers enough twists and misleading clues to keep viewers wondering what the truth really is. But the story also centers around a mother's commitment to being the best mother she can be to her daughter, and how, despite all efforts, it simply may not be possible. It's engaging, but some folks may find themselves becoming distracted by the fact that the conversations taking place in French are dubbed in English, and the German exchanges are only subtitled. If you can get past this, The Perfect Mother offers a binge-worthy viewing experience.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about watching TV shows and movies from different countries and in different languages. What are the benefits of watching them? What can make it challenging?

  • How many misleading clues are there in The Perfect Mother? Are they all effective in making the series more thrilling? Are there clues you would have left out in the storytelling process?

TV Details

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