The Mother

Among older women, The Mother will likely wind up a classic of self-empowerment. The film stars Anne Reid as May, a woman in her sixties that’s rocked by the sudden death of her husband. Unwilling to return to an empty home, she moves in with with her daughter, Paula (Cathryn Bradshaw). Paula’s dating a married man named Darren (Daniel Craig), and asks her mother to speak to the man to find out what his intentions are. May does speak to Darren, and a friendship (which eventually turns into a relationship) is formed. It’s the early scenes in The Mother that are the film’s most effective, as May and her husband first arrive at their son’s house for a visit. With characters speaking at once and the elderly couple struggling to keep up with everyone, the sequence feels like an authentic look at a small family gathering. It doesn’t hurt that director Roger Michell has peppered the cast with above-average actors – with the exception of Road to Perdition‘s Craig, there’s not a familiar face to be found – that seemingly inhabit their roles with ease. But the film’s lack of plot eventually catches up with it, and though it’s never boring, The Mother finally becomes somewhat tedious. Still, as a portrait of old age, the movie excels; May is a fully developed character that refuses to give into her status as a senior. And Craig nearly steals the show as a salt-of-the-earth type that may not be as centered as he initially seems.

**1/2 out of ****