Motherhood

This film is just awful. How did they get all this actors to get involved is beyond me. Uma Thurman is a fine actress, but there was no way she could save this. Awful script, lousy directing and uninteresting characters.

I don't always like the "german" titles American (or other "foreign") movies get in Germany. But in this instance, I think the title (which I wrote as my summary line) fits better than the original title. It also might get some people off the case/movie, who seem to genuinely hate the movie. I don't think, the filmmakers went out there, to show us the "ultimate" truth about parenthood (or motherhood for that matter), but just a slice of life.

Of course that doesn't mean, that the movie has no deficits. It seems a bit unbalanced and one sided at times. But it still has quite a few moments. And depending on your likings, you might nod your head in agreement or shake it in disagreement/disgust. It's definitely a movie that was made for a specific audience. Hate it or love it for it

If you make the mistake of reading this movie's own description, you go into it thinking that you're going to find a light-hearted, funny account of a mother trying to pull off the ultimate birthday party. The early parts of the movie seem to reinforce this, especially the encounter with the snooty neighbour and daughter who go on and on about the fabulous birthday party they had pulled off. So, you think this is going to turn into a competition to make a better birthday party. But from that point on, any sense of fun in this movie just absolutely disappears, and never reappears. This becomes a sombre movie, that really focuses more on Eliza's disillusionment with her life, her husband, the sacrifices she had to make, etc., etc. Boo hoo. You had to sacrifice something for the sake of your children and things didn't turn out exactly the way you had hoped and dreamed they would. Well, Eliza, welcome to real life. Sometimes we sacrifice and change direction for the sake of our kids. It's called parenthood - or in Eliza's case, "Motherhood."

OK. I didn't like the overall whiny tone of the movie or of Eliza's character. Setting that distaste aside, I have two fundamental problems with this: (a) it wasn't funny or even just humorous, and (b) it wasn't really interesting. There was nothing that made this story seem like a movie should be made out of it. Eliza's car got towed. Wow. Her friend got mad at her because she broke a confidence. Gee. She lost her parking spot. Tell me it ain't so! Gripping stuff. The only thing I felt compelled to watch closely was when Eliza brought the messenger in for a drink of water. You're thinking that "something" is going to happen between the two of them. I liked the way that turned out. Beyond that, the movie's really devoid of substance.

It benefits from having basically likable leads. Uma Thurman and Anthony Edwards are fine. Not a lot of chemistry between them, and the one extended kissing scene between them in the whole movie seemed quite forced and artificial. But they're likable enough. They make it watchable; they don't make it good, though. (3/10)

Motherhood has a great premise and a great lead actress, but its problem stems from the fact that it picks the wrong setting and character for a movie like this. I have been waiting for a film about a mother, of maybe two, living in a bad neighborhood on Welfare with no husband struggling to make end's meet. I don't wish that on anybody, but I feel if someone with great talent, maybe John Singleton, worked on the project it'd be a worth seeing film with a great message and great performances.

I don't see why we should have sympathy for Uma Thurman when her character is clearly just having a bad day, or a bad week. She lives in a sizable apartment in West Village, New York, has another for that matter, a good, consistent blog, and a nice family. She's doing way better than I am, yet she wants sympathy because she's been running around for one day trying to organize a birthday party for her kid.

Yes, Uma Thurman plays Eliza, a mother who is trying to give her daughter the best sixth birthday party ever. Her absent minded husband Avery (Edwards) is a classic book collector who means well, but sort of clueless. So she is left to try and construct this party by herself with numerous things going wrong.

I'm in no way saying motherhood is an easy thing. It's probably grueling some days, but enlightening on others. Eliza is simply having a bad day. When mother's have young kids, they want to give them the world on their birthdays. They want them to be happy. Planning a party for a six year old is harder than planning one for a thirteen year old. When you're six, you get what's best. When you're thirteen, you want this, that, this, that, and don't forget that.

I have minor sympathy for this slump Eliza is in, but she lives in West Village of all places. For those unfamiliar, it's a very nice and expensive Village in New York. Obviously, you're not living in a slum and are doing pretty well for yourself. Again, not to sound like I'm jealous, but if you have enough money to afford West Village, you obviously have enough money to work something out for your daughter's party.

Despite comments online, I went into Motherhood with my head held high. I thought it might surpass some of the extreme hate it's getting on some sites. Then when I saw character development is weak, the realism among Eliza's friends is slim, and Uma Thurman's appearance in almost every shot of this movie when she isn't playing that great of a character, I lost interest fast.

Starring: Uma Thurman and Anthony Edwards. Directed by: Katherine Dieckmann.

The way it started I thought it was an amusing parody on the modern PC culture. It was a bit a awkward initially but I was focusing on the parody side. Later into the movie it wavered more on being pointless. It might have been meant to be a character study showing how motherhood and womanhood has changed and evolved for the last few generations. The most meaningful scene I felt was delivered by an older actress who in her statement also described what the intent of the movie might have been all about.

The movie is apparently based off a book written by the director and I have not read it. I cannot say I have been inspired to read it either.