Mother

I saw Mother in a theater and came away only partially impressed. Although I appreciated the witty script, I thought director/writer Albert Brooks missed making his point about the complicated relationships between mothers and sons. However, I've warmed to this film after seeing it over and over on cable. The dialogue is great, and the perpetually whining Brooks and a surprisingly droll Debbie Reynolds are a sharp comedy team. For example, I love the way Brooks wags a banana at Reynolds when she questions why women leave him. And when Brooks and his brother fight over Reynolds like she was their mistress. The ending is a little too pat -- I don't think sons ever resolve their conflicts with their mothers, or even understand them. But it's Brooks' best film after Lost in America. And that ain't bad.

Sometimes, from the endless stream of average movies, comes a gem, this is one such film.

Albert Brooks is impossible to beat if you're looking for character driven comedy, and "Mother" comes second only to another Brooks film, "Modern Romance".

Here we have the story of a science-fiction writer, blocked and fresh from his second divorce. It's the break up with this woman that prompts John Henderson (Brooks) to move back in with his mother, in the hope that solving his life-long problems with her will lead to the solution of his myriad of other problems.

The comedy is brilliant throughout. The scene in his mother's kitchen (food talk) is a contender for the finest comedy scene ever written. And the small things, that other writers neglect, are what make this film a standout: One example is the scene when Brooks' character is attempting to make a start on his next novel; it's truly hilarious, and any telling of its humour hear wouldn't convey the true laugh-out-loud quality of the moment, so just watch the movie.

Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds both give perfect performances as the lost and insecure son, and the unsure and uninterested mother, and their chemistry is unique.

An absolute comedy gem, and my second favourite film of all time; second only to "Modern Romance"

With "Mother," director Albert Brooks has given us another great comedic filmmaking triumph. The acting is terrific, the laughs come at a fairly steady pace, and, like all great comedies, it has an inner meaning underneath all the smirks and giggles.

Brooks co-wrote, directed, and starred in this one, playing the somewhat unsuccessful science-fiction novelist John Henderson (he's contstantly being compared to Stephen King) who blames his problems with women on Mom. Therefore, he decides to move back in with Mother (played by Debbie Reynolds, whom Brooks somehow lured back to the big screen) and figure out their problems. What ensues might have been sitcom-style laughs, but Brooks and co-writer Monica Johnson know better than that; the laughs are pretty fast-paced but their well-observed ranting as opposed to tasteless wisecracks.

The keys to the film, however, are Brooks and Reynolds, the latter which brings a special emotional undertone to a role that would have been played as all sap by any other actress. Check "Mother" out; if you want smart, funny humor and even a tad bit of drama, you should enjoy it immensely. Rated PG-13. 104 minutes. 8 out of 10.

This is one of those movies that's like watching a play on a movie screen, and what an enjoyable play it is. Through deft writing and flawless acting, this film manages to capture the subtle psychological warfare taking place b/t Brooks and his family. Also to his credit, the Brooks character is far from flawless or blameless that the relationship has become such an emotional wasteland. A gentle giant.

Mother is a beautiful movie, in that it gives us an insight to our relationships with our parents. While I am not female, things might be a little different for daughters, but as a son, I can see the same behaviors that have cultivated in my mother. And she can see it in her mother. My girlfriend can see it in her mother, and her grandmother. While the comedy is a little dry, and actually slightly confusing on the initial viewing, if you return to the movie after a year or so, it will make complete sense. It only gets better after that. I can understand being underwhelmed by this movie the first time. Please don't judge it too harshly. I know I would have rated it a 6 or so when I first saw it, and now I've given it a 9. Maybe I should explain why it doesn't get a 10. There are a few sequences that should have been altered. I found the date scene to be a little too long, and the Mrs Robinson sequence should have been almost completely eliminated. It is a painfully bad gag, and the humor of it is something that can only be appreciated by those of a certain mind set. Don't worry, I'm not insulting you if you like it.