Mamma torno a casa

Albert's Brooks' comedy 'Mother' is frequently hilarious, with some cracking dialogue, and highly perceptive: few viewers will fail to recognise some aspect of their relationships with their family in its portrayal of its eponymous central character and her middle-aged son, played by Brooks himself. But in taking their interaction as its principal subject, instead of using it as a backdrop to a wider story, the film chooses to pursue limited ambitions, and there's a level of contrivance necessary to support this narrow focus: while, at a micro-level, the film is perfect, the overall plot makes less sense, and the ending is a little pat. Not a great film; but one guaranteed to make you smile.

This is a great movie that is a lot of fun. I really liked Debbie Reynolds, who I think deserved a Best Supporting Actress award for her performance. Her comic timing is perfect.

Albert Brooks is great too. He reminds somewhat of Woody Allen, playing a neurotic science fiction writer who gets writer's block. He moves back home with Mom (Reynolds) in hopes of breaking the block.

The interplay between these two great actors is marvelous, thanks to a wonderful Brooks script.

One other comment I will add is that there is practically nothing in this movie to find offensive or objectionable. Good, clean fun, with many laughs.

Brooks more recent movie, "The Muse" featured a similar theme of a writer whose talents are temporarily stifled. I wonder if there is any autobiography to Brooks' scripts, but I am sure there is not, for his stories are often full of wonderfully funny moments.

I really recommend "Mother".

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.

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.