Mother (1996/II)

reviewed by
Nick Schaden


MOTHER (1996)
A film review by Nick Schaden
Copyright 1997 Nick Schaden

Albert Brooks is a funny guy. Whether he's cracking jokes about food products or relatives his timing and wit always make you at least chuckle, and it's what makes "Mother" such a fun movie.

"Mother" tells the story of John Henderson (Albert Brooks) a writer who just got divorced. John feels he can't connect with women, and feels the only way to make himself whole again is to move back in with his mother, Beatrice (Debbie Reynolds) and try to regain his "feelings" during childhood. It makes for a simple yet effective plot.

The far majority of the movie is spent with John and his mother arguing and fighting about different issues, many times with hilarious results. For example, upon John's arrival to his mother's home, his mother starts by offering him incredibly old and freezer-burned meats, cheeses, and dessert for something to eat. Soon we see John and mother squaring off in an argument about meat, use of the freezer, childhood, it's all quite funny.

What makes "Mother" superior in some ways to other comedies is that the movie doesn't try to push the limits of reality - while Brooks's character is a mess he can be believable. In other comedies many times the plot calls for incredulous situations (Clark Griswold flying through the air at Hoover Dam in "Vegas Vacation" comes to mind) just so the audience can laugh a little. This movie doesn't need fancy props or elaborate jokes - Brooks is a master of comedy, and knows what makes the audience laugh.

However, there are a few complaints I have with Mother. First and foremost, the movie wraps itself up far too quickly and neatly. It's almost as though actor/director Brooks said to himself: "Enough comedy...let's finish with a good ending". Furthermore, for me as a viewer, to be laughing and chuckling through most of the movie and then to switch gears to a happy wrap up was a disappointment for me. Don't get me wrong, I expected the happy ending - it's just that the movie needed a slower transition from comedy to conclusion. Second, I wish that Jeff's (John's brother, played by Rob Morrow) slight obsession with his mother could have been developed more as a side plot.

However, in conclusion, "Mother" is a fun movie. While you won't likely want to sit and see this movie again and again, it made this reviewer laugh the whole way through, and thus achieves its purpose as a comedy.

    Nick's Rating: +2 (Recommended)
    *** Movies rated from -4 (worst) to +4 (best), 0 = average movie ***
--
Nick Schaden
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