Las buenas madres

A magnificent and tragic depiction of patriarchal society at its worst. Set in a Calabria poised between modernity and archaic rites and customs, the series is beautifully shot, convincingly acted, and keeps you on edge throughout the episodes.

The female portraits are depicted with finesse, both the heroines and those who unquestioningly accept the violent and dark world around them. A violence that is hardly ever shown, but which comes out overwhelmingly despite the portrayal of 'normal' lives.

An important story, in times when feminicide is a recurring theme in all the newspapers, certainly here we are talking about an extreme world, but the roots of a world hostile to women become terribly evident.

This series is interesting because of its theme. However, it's so poorly told that at times it just makes little sense. The editing is poorly done and destroys any continuity. Scenes seem randomly stuck together and when combined with a fluctuating timeline and gaps in the story, the viewer has to work out what is happening with the plot. The acting is good but after a while the constant staring by the lead actress, into space, or the sea, or just a building, becomes annoying. Overall, the series does hold one's interest and is engaging, but the lack of story continuity is just a poor way to deal with such an interesting theme.

As Episode 1 of "The Good Mothers" (2023 release from Italy; 6 episodes of about an hour each) opens, we are reminded this is "based on a true story". It is "January 3, 2010" and a bomb explodes at the local prosecutor's offices in Calabria to send a message to the new prosecutor looking into the Ndrangheta mafia. In a parallel story line, we are introduced to Lea and her daughter Denise who are on their way to reunite with their husband/father. Before we know it, Lea mysteriously disappears... At this point we are less than 15 minutes into Episode 1.

Couple of comments: this TV mini-series jumps back-and-forth in time but most of it plays out between 2008 and 2011. If you wonder where in Italy Calabria is, it is the "toe" of the Italian boot, across from where Sicily is located. Calabria is remote, isolated, and mostly poor. But that didn't stop the local mafia, called Ndrangheta, from doing what the mafia does: they intimidate, extort, abuse, and kill people, all for the mobsters' financial gain. The women within the mobster families are treated with disdain and disrespect, and worse. Despite the long odds and lack of resources, several of them decide to stand up. This is tense and at time difficult watching. But it makes for compelling viewing. This is a no-star cast, except of course Gaia Girace, one of the two stars from "My Brilliant Friend". Girace is still only 20, and she has limitless potential. Can't wait to see what she'll do next. PLEASE NOTE: I watched this in the original Italian version, and for whatever reason in several long stretches, the subtitling's timing was off, as in: the subtitles showed about a second too soon, and hence didn't completely synchronize with the voices. Super annoying.

The first 2 episodes of "The Good Mothers" premiered at the Berlin film festival earlier this year to immediate acclaim. I read a nice review of this mini-series in the New York Times, and that was good enough for me to check it out. It's currently streaming on Hulu, and I watched all 6 episodes over 2 evenings. If you are in the mood for a tense Italian crime drama from a female perspective, I'd readily suggest you check this out, and draw your own conclusion.

... very well done six-episode-series... brought to this production seeing Micaela Ramazzotti as part of it, although her onscreen time is rather limited the importance-impact of her character resonates throughout all six of the episodes

... majority of people outside the country in all probability know little about the influence of these organizations, although their significance is now being felt world-over... this terrific little series establishes a human element to this troubling story, bringing it to light as having repercussion on lives of all families involved

... could-will there be another series an interesting question.. the world can surely use more knowledge-information-regarding any way it can get it.

I join other reviewers here who found this a compelling and emotionally intense series. Seen from a woman's perspective, the brutality, sexism and hypocrisy of the various mafia-type organizations that still permeate Italian society is both revealing and frightening. The bravery, strength and determination by all these women to remove themselves from their shackles is beyond words. What is clear is that the so-called 'honour' code and 'rules' that these bastards abide by are only adhered to when it suits them. What's truly laughable is how they portray themselves (the men mostly) as family-oriented, Catholic upholders of virtue and a 'way of life' that seems little changed from the Stone Age. Top-notch series and a must-watch!! Bravo those women who defy this system!!!