Friday, May 14, 2010
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Friday, May 14, 2010
MOVIE REVIEW
Mother And Child
Parental Advisories And
Trepidations
Samuel L. Jackson as Paul and Naomi Watts as Elizabeth in Rodrigo Garcia's
"Mother And Child", which expanded its release in California and to
Massachusetts today.
Sony Pictures Classics
By
Omar P.L. Moore/PopcornReel.com
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Friday, May 14, 2010
Rodrigo Garcia writes and directs "Mother And Child", a drama that promises to
be neat, cute and convenient but unfolds into a smart, adult tale of complexity,
chance and credibility, even if the film is longer than it needs to be.
Employing an excellent, richly talented and eclectic cast, Mr. Garcia cultivates
a triumvirate of stories linked to one event in sunny Los Angeles. The
style is reminiscent of filmmaker Alejandro González Iñárritu ("Amores Perros",
"21 Grams", "Babel"), who executive produced "Mother
And Child".
In the film, a woman has given up her baby for adoption in years past.
Another woman is having trouble conceiving. A third woman lacks grounding
and a place to call her own. In each of these roles, Annette Bening,
Kerry Washington and
Naomi Watts respectively excel. Ms. Watts was eight months pregnant
during production and does a great job inhabiting a cavalier, take-all-chances
character who's more afraid than she knows. None of the women in the film
play likable people, but life isn't always likable, either. Mr. Garcia's
screenplay layers each woman extraordinarily well.
"Mother And Child" is about the hand we are dealt in life, and how playing or
failing to play that hand forever scars us or informs the decisions we make.
In this respect the film isn't much different in its themes from "Grand Canyon"
(1991) or Seven Pounds" (2008) two other L.A. drama ensemble pieces, though Mr.
Garcia's film is more coherent in story, character and reality than the latter
of the two movies.
Though "Mother And Child" may drift in length and have its share of highs and
lulls, there's strength in the separate stories, most especially those involving
Jimmy Smits and Samuel L. Jackson. Mr. Jackson
is a welcome presence as a more vulnerable character than some of his other
recent screen portrayals. As Paul he displays warmth and delicacy in one
of the richer performances of his storied career. Mr. Smits lends an
earnest compassion to the situation he's faced with, adapting well.
Other kudos in the film go to S. Epatha Merkerson, a scene-stealing treat with
one memorable line that she delivers two-thirds of the way through.
You feel as though you will submit to a certain treacle or cookie-cutter
atmosphere to "Mother And Child", and even if the film travels in that general
direction, it's a trip that this occasionally powerful, thought-provoking film
just about deserves.
With: Cherry Jones, Elizabeth Peña, Shareeka Epps, LaTanya Richardson, David
Morse, Amy Brenneman, Tatyana Ali, Ahmed Best, LisaGay Hamilton, Gloria Gurayua,
Carla Gallo, Mark Blucas, Michael Warren.
"Mother And Child" is rated R by the Motion Picture Association Of America for
sexuality, brief nudity and
language. The film's running time is two hours and seven minutes.
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here.
Read Omar's "Far-Flung Correspondent" reports for America's pre-eminent Film
Critic Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times -
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