Review of Mother and Child (2009) by Daniel K — 10 Jul 2011
3: Superb performances all around. Both Bening and watts have turned in more than a few like this in recent years. I figured out the basic trajectory of the story about 22 minutes and 5 seconds into the film, but this isn't the kind of picture where that mattered.
In other words, knowing what was coming did not detract from the emotional effectiveness of the story, as it often does with other pictures, such as thrillers or mysteries. It' s very Hollywood, but that didn't mean it wasn't entirely believable and naturalistic-feeling.
The story does fit together rather too nicely, but it isn't so blatant or obvious that one balks. The exploration of what it means to be a mother, a daughter, and the ties of both love and blood is a potent one that I was glad to share with my family.
It really seems to be tailor made for mothers and daughters to view together, which is especially interesting given that it is written and directed by a man. The fairly luxurious pacing is a welcome change from the usual rush.
This review of Mother and Child (2009) was written by Daniel K on 10 Jul 2011.
Mother and Child has generally received positive reviews.
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