Review of Mother and Child (2009) by Kecia R — 14 Jun 2011
"Do you think you are the first woman to have a baby? Grow the fuck up, get it together. Be the mother" Unfortunately for the audience, that instruction was not leveled at or heeded by 2/3rds of the cast. If so, we might have had a better time. Instead, what we get is an incredibly indulgent yarn of how terribly difficult it is to be a mother - particularly if you are a self-centered white woman who thinks the world is to be held accountable for whatever injury they may have once suffered. (Which appears to be, according to this plot, a genetically translated trait) Bening and Watts play two entirely unlikeable women, both damaged and guarded, both at ease with using others (in what is sadly a predominantly minority section of the cast) as punching bags and sexual aids for self validation. Watts, in her first encounter with her boss Jackson (in a role that would typically go to the more affable Danny Glover) removes her panties, undoes his fly, and mounts him with the instructions " Don't Move. Let me come first. Now your turn". Another conquest ( in an even more contrived scenario) is treated with equal disdain, to the degree that the audience is left thinking " Why do these men put up with this? Just how damaged is everyone in this film to seek out one another?".
In later portion of the movie, Washington is instructed not to let an opportunity pass, because once it does, it is gone forever. But it would seem that rule, again, only applies to women of color, because for the other 100 minutes of the film, the other two featured players make seemingly perpetual bad choices, and yet are given repeated chances to redeem themselves ( which, despite all their efforts to the contrary, in the end work out largely to a favorable light).
There's some really fine acting here, particularly some of the lesser roles ( Shemeka Epps and Lisa Gay Hamilton are particular standouts) But unfortunately, they are background players to what is ultimately an indulgent and aimless script.
This review of Mother and Child (2009) was written by Kecia R on 14 Jun 2011.
Mother and Child has generally received positive reviews.
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