"Mother and Child" arrives with no hype or big advertising campaign behind it like the rest of this summer's offerings, but it just might be the best film released through the first half of the year. What started out as just another indie drama, sad characters in sad situations, quickly took another direction to become one of the most touching films of 2010. Director Rodrigo Garcia Barcha brings this film to the screen with the help of director turned producer Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel", "Amores Perros"). The film has three separate storylines that deal with the relationships between a mother and her child, but much like Inarritu's films they end up interweaving with each other at some point. Karen (Annette Bening) gave up her child for adoption several decades ago and with it a piece of her metaphorical heart. Elizabeth (Naomi Watts) is an adopted child and a very successful independent, childless woman. Lucy (Kerry Washington) and her husband are not able to conceive of their own child so they are desperately trying to adopt one.
Plot seems simple enough and for the most part it is and there is a little predictability to it. However, the complex characters do not match the film's simplistic plot. Each one of the female leads is fully developed with their own personalities and maternal issues. These are real people; therefore the viewer can easily make an emotional connection with each of the characters and becomes invested in their lives. Although I did find Bening's storyline a little boring; she whined and cried the whole time.
Even though Barcha takes director's credit Inarritu's fingerprints are all over it. The plot is very much in the vein of his previous films such as "21 Grams." Everything about the film oozes Inarritu. The direction and acting are top-notch. Everyone turns in a fantastic performance. Watts is always good and Bening shows she still has something left. Samuel L. Jackson goes against his recent typecast, which is always refreshing to see, successfully playing a fatherly, more sedated role to great success. Then there is Kerry Washington who is, for the most part, is an unknown. Having only starred in films such as "The Fantastic Four" or "Lakeview Terrace" the spotlight on her talent has shown dim, but in this film it shines bright. Washington has made a statement with her performance that she is a talent to be reckoned with.
"Mother and Child" is a very touching and beautiful film that deals with heavy subject matter, but does not leave the viewer depressed when the credits begin to role. On the contrary, you walk out with a renewed faith in the bond, not only between a parent and child, but in humanity in general; a hidden gem of a film. This is quite possibly the best film of the year. Unfortunately, it will be lost to mainstream audiences.
Leave a comment