Review of Mother and Child (2009) by Lewis C — 15 Dec 2010

Mother and Child is a well-written, emotionally-layered drama about (you guessed it) mothers and children. There are several interconnected stories, some major and some minor, that come at the topic from several points of view. Adoption is a major part of the movie (from a variety of different angles, including a regretful mother, an adult woman who never knew the woman who gave her up, a couple who desires to adopt, and a young woman who is looking for the right parents to give her child to). So is the way that mothers continue to influence their children (in good or bad ways) after they're grown, and even in their absence.

The cast is absolutely great, and was the main thing that attracted me to this film. Naomi Watts is excellent as usual, and her character is probably the one of the main three that has the biggest arc and largest focus in the story. Annette Bening plays the the second of the "main" characters, and I honestly think her acting here was better than her critically acclaimed role in The Kids Are All Right. Kerry Washington is the other primary female character in the movie, and she also does a great job. Her role was probably the most emotionally tumultuous in the film, and she pulled it off very well.

Those three ladies are joined by a fine cast of supporting actors, including Samuel L. Jackson (in a rare understated role), David Ramsey, Tatyana Ali (where have you been you gorgeous woman?), Jimmy Smits, Carla Gallo, and many others. Great acting all- around, and each person gets to contribute without seeming like a superfluous cameo or pushing the running-time to an excessive length.

I realize that I haven't given a lot of story details, but the plot is fairly complex and a lot of the enjoyment of the movie comes from watching the emotional rollercoasters that some of the characters go through. Mother and Child is sad in some places, but manages to end on a happy note that feels genuine and doesn't come off as sappy in the least. I recommend it to anyone who likes a good drama.