MOTHER AND CHILD
RYAN: I was very interested in the new movie Mother and Child because of the cast, but then I checked out and didn’t get to the screening with you. So how was it?
CAROLINE: It’s a very timely release for Mother’s Day, though it’s a bit heavy in parts. It’s all about motherhood and adoption; one woman who gave a baby up, one woman who herself was adopted, and one who is trying to adopt. I enjoyed it, and I think you would have too mainly because of the cast.
RYAN: I love Naomi Watts.
CAROLINE: She plays a megabitch from hell in this. She filmed this movie a few weeks after having her second baby, and you’d never know it. Girlfriend is in shape… and you get to see a fair amount of her bod. She has a couple of crazy sex scenes.
RYAN: Wowza! Maybe she did the C-section/tummy tuck combo that so much of Hollywood is fond of.
CAROLINE: It’s possible. She has a personal and professional relationship with Samuel L. Jackson in this movie, and at one point she calls him handsome, and I was like, “Uhhh… no.” I almost gagged a little.
RYAN: What?? In no way is that a handsome man.
CAROLINE: My thoughts exactly. I liked Naomi, but the real star for me was Annette Bening, who’s just incredible.
RYAN: Is it yet another Oscar bid for her?
CAROLINE: Perhaps. This is a very small movie though, and it’s only out in limited release, so I’m not sure how much people will be talking about it. She’s amazing though.
RYAN: I think Annette Bening always makes really good choices with her roles. She doesn’t work a ton, but when she does, you know it’s going to be good.
CAROLINE: I’m beyond excited for her movie that comes out this summer, The Kids Are All Right. She’s just such a pro. Her performance in Mother and Child is so nuanced. Kerry Washington is also in it, and though I was rather unimpressed by her at the beginning, she got much better as she went along. She has a pivotal scene at the end, which is amazing.
RYAN: Now I really regret not seeing this movie with you!
CAROLINE: You definitely would have liked it, though honestly it’s not a must see on the big screen. It’s definitely more of an art house film; very slow and dramatic. It’s so well cast and well acted though. It’ll make a great rental for you someday if you don’t catch it in the theater.
RYAN: Did I see Jimmy Smits in the trailer?
CAROLINE: You sure did. I loved his role. It’s got a few other folks you’d recognize too – Cherry Jones, Amy Brenneman and S. Epatha Merkerson.
— BOTTOM LINE —
CAROLINE: I didn’t go crazy for this movie, but I definitely liked it. The story was really interesting and so well told. Each character really make you feel something. I think you would like it, but it’s probably not for everyone. More for the indie crowd, I’d say.
— RATING —
