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'Otherhood' - A Review

A film to make you miss your mother

By Joshua Lino-da CostaPublished 5 years ago 4 min read
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Otherhood is one of the latest headliners Netflix has to offer as it follows three suburban mothers who spontaneously turn up in New York to surprise their sons who neglected to send any presents or cards to them on mother's day. The mothers create their own pact to reconnect with their sons which had different and devastating effects. Otherhood faces a number of important social fractions including adultery, homosexuality, cultural differences, friendship and, of course, parenthood.

Cindy Chupack enjoyed her directorial debut with great casting that saw Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette and Felicity Huffman take on the roles of the leading ladies. Bassett, who plays widow Carol Walker, produces a great performance as a strong woman who has not quite moved on from the death of her husband. Whilst Carol is the only of the three to successfully get into her son's house on the first day, she still struggles to connect with him relying on the help of a stranger, Julia (Afton Williamson), to eventually realise just how great his mother was. Bassett played Carol Walker perfectly, as her character struggled from moving on from the death of her husband and was relying on the few links he still had with him; their bed mattress, their swimming pool and, of course their son. Carol's character development was shown through her appearance as she appeared a conservative housewife at the beginning of the film and ended up with a new hairstyle, sexier clothing, and eventually leaving the house she was stuck in to move to Italy to explore her personal talents. One of the most powerful lines came when Carol says to her son, Matt (Sinqua Walls) 'You know who you are without me but now I need to figure out who I am without you.' This was the line that symbolised Carol's final transformation from broken widow to strong independent woman.

Carol Walker before her hair change started her journey

Helen Halston (Felicity Huffman) had a more complex journey with her son, Paul (Jake Lacy). Helen is still struggling with her divorce from Paul's father ten years before. Her constant referral to her husband and reference to his infidelity and the battles she has with her son shows that she is still living in the past. This refusal to release the past almost costs her relationships with her friends and her son. The character remains a victim throughout the film until her realisation hits in and she realises just how important her current husband is in moving forward with her life. Whilst Huffman plays the character well, she is the least appealing character from the three leading ladies. This was highlighted from one of her most powerful lines; 'Why do you love me?'

One of my favourite characters is Gillian Lieberman (Patricia Arquette). She is the most modest of the three and, in my opinion, the most motherly. Whilst she was lucky enough to receive a text from her son on mother's day, her journey was more of an enlightenment. An obvious matriach, shown by her lack of boundaries with her son, she is the mother most willing to go the extra mile for her son. Her realisation that her involvement in her son's relationship with Erin (Heidi Gardner) is what most likely broke it, led her to swallow her pride and her words when she goes to her for help with Carol's makeover (although her underlying reason was to look to fix some of the damage she had done). It is here that you find out that she was 'one of those mother in laws' who, when finding out Erin's job, had asked her 'what do you want to do when you grow up?' Her relationship with her son is a lot closer. Despite his relationship falling apart, Daniel Liebermann (Jake Hoffman), a failed writer, still has that closeness with his mum, first of all going on the date she set up for him and then being the only one of the son's to give his mother a goodbye kiss in the hotel room scene where the boys confront their mothers. Daniel even asked his mother on help on how to break into his apartment, something she had been doing all movie. One of my favourite scenes is when Daniel comes home to find that his mother had broken in and baked some cakes and pies for him. As he is muttering how bad it is that his privacy is not respected, he digs into a pie which then becomes the inspiration behind his starting to write his latest novel—'baking and entering'. The final scenes show how, when it comes to love, sometimes, a mother does know best.

Whilst this film will not likely win any Oscars, it is a lovely feel good family film that makes you appreciate your mother and the difficult lives they lead. The script is witty at times and not overdone making it the perfect Netflix film.

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About the Creator

Joshua Lino-da Costa

I've been writing for years. Not always great... but it means a lot to me

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