Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		4.0

Mother and Child Blu-ray Movie Review

It's about mothers and children and so much more.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 15, 2010

Motherhood should be something simpler than that.

Mother and Child is a beautifully convoluted film about, what else, motherhood. An all-star cast headlines, but doesn't dominate, Director Rodrigo García's (Passengers) oftentimes touching but never quite poignant picture about the everyday lives of several women who struggle with losses, questions, doubts, and the challenges of modern day life that have haunted them for their entire adult lives. Longing mothers, independent daughters, barren would-be mothers, and the men and children who shape their lives all play a part in a small but diverse and complete circle of life that's held together by common bonds and the luck of the draw. Mother and Child is a beautiful yet simplistic picture that relies on characters and ideas and story rather than visual flash to attract viewers. Screened at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Mother and Child is the sort of independent picture that should be admired not for its assembled cast but for the honesty of its story and the tenderness with which is builds a microcosm of contemporary life and all of the hardship and joys that define humanity in the 21st century.

Destiny begins.

It's been 37 years since a physical therapist named Karen (Annette Bening, American Beauty) gave up her baby for adoption. She became pregnant as a young teenager; her decision seemed like the right one at the time, but it's one she's struggled with ever since. Her mother is ill, and outside of a housekeeper she distrusts and the housekeeper's daughter she doesn't like, her life is an empty one, at least until she meets Paco (Jimmy Smits), a new therapist at work with whim she shares an instant attraction -- and proceeds to throw a wrench into their possible relationship with every encounter. Meanwhile, Karen's daughter has grown into a driven and highly educated young woman named Elizabeth (Naomi Watts, The International ) who's just landed a job at a prestigious law firm where she works under Paul (Samuel L. Jackson, Lakeview Terrace), an older widower with whom she quickly begins an affair that will forever change her life. Lucy (Kerry Washington) and Joseph (David Ramsey) are a young married couple who long to have a child of their own, but there's one problem: Lucy is barren, and she and Joseph have chosen to adopt a child. As all three women struggle to find their places in life and roles as potential mothers, their fates will converge as destiny leads them down their chosen paths.

Mother and Child might not draw out a parade of emotions in every viewer -- it's likely to touch those who have dealt with the turmoils and joys the film so exquisitely portrays more so than casual viewers with little or no personal experiences similar to those encountered by the characters -- but there's no denying the raw power and captivating brilliance in the way Writer/Director Rodrigo García weaves together a single film from three sets of characters, each with their own unique perspectives on motherhood. Mother and Child just feels real; here's a movie that, from its opening minutes onward, draws in its viewers, experienced in its emotions or not, and never relinquishes its grasp, building a palpable, seamless world whereby the audience may emotionally invest in each set of characters and hope for the best while, secretly, expecting the worst. Mother and Child's adherence to reality means that it's not necessarily going to end well for all involved; it's not going to placate audiences only interested in fantasy and fairy tales, but for all of its raw emotion and on-screen turmoil, one can't help but to be attracted to its strong and unique characters as they struggle to find answers to some of life's most challenging questions. The movie, then, is occasionally difficult to watch as lives ascend and subsequently crumble under the stresses of family life and personal dynamics in the 21st century; the movie doesn't shy away from any of the good, the bad, or the ugly of everyday life, focusing in on as many cheerful moments as it does excruciatingly linger on some of the most heartbreaking developments a picture like this could offer. Mother and Child is in no way thematically glamorous, but that's why it works so well. It's real, it's difficult, but through all the challenges it offers sprinklings of hope that, perhaps someday and not only for the characters but for humanity at large as it's been condensed into the lives of several sets of people, something better may just be around the corner, down the street, or in the heart.

The glue behind Mother and Child is undoubtedly its splendid cast. Whether big name actors and actresses or relative newcomers who might otherwise be dwarfed by names like Jackson, Benning, Watts, and Smits, the cast is uniformly superb with each and every primary character disappearing into their parts and helping to give the movie a seamlessness that further bolsters its unflinching sense of realism that oozes from every scene. Mother and Child is the perfect picture by which others should model these sorts of "convergent stories" sorts of movies. It gets it right, perfectly juggling a character roster that's just the right size to ensure all of the proper thematic necessities while keeping the picture on an even keel and never becoming an overbearing and overweight monster like Valentine's Day, a picture that's sweet in places but far too convoluted and watered down by an excess of characters to really mean anything. Mother and Child, instead, is a beautifully balanced picture that plays at a well-paced two hours, just enough time to fully develop every primary and secondary character, allow relationships to blossom and crumble, and see all of the drama play out as it must and with the proper amount of heartfelt honesty it needs. To single out one or two actors would be a disservice to the remainder of the cast; they're all equally brilliant in the way they completely sell their parts and further enhance every drop of emotion that's to be found in Rodrigo García's script. Fortunately, the writer/director puts the finishing touches on the movie through a technical proficiency that allows the story to take center stage; his direction is smooth and unobtrusive, smart and reserved, the perfect compliment to a wonderful film.

Mother and Child Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Mother and Child features a wonderful 1080p Blu-ray transfer. This digitally-shot film looks great, surpassing most other digital features -- whether shot on high end equipment or mid- to low-grade gear -- and oftentimes looks almost as good as film. Sony's image is a bit flat and glossy by nature, but it's also crisp and incredibly detailed, capturing every wrinkly line on older characters' faces wile picking up every small texture in clothing and other materials seen throughout the film. Colors are natural, bright, and very well balanced; flesh tones appear accurate and black levels linger around perfection. Slight banding knocks the score down by half a point, but otherwise, Sony's Blu-ray transfer is much like the film: simple but beautiful. There's no flash and pizazz here, but this is one of the steadier and most faithful high-def video transfers on the market today.

Mother and Child Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Much like its splendid video presentation, Mother and Child's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is quietly effective. The picture is made up of nothing more than dialogue, light music, and slight atmospherics. It's all handled primarily by the front three speakers, but effectively so. Music and dialogue both are perfectly clear and accurate, with the former spreading out a bit to the sides while the latter remains centered, both infinitely pleasant and supporting the movie about as well as can be expected. Atmospherics are incredibly light and not very pronounced in terms of sheer volume. Still, they're so wonderfully integrated into the soundtrack that even something as inconsequential as the ticking of a clock manages to instantly and for the duration of a scene perfectly convey the room's atmosphere. Other such nuanced effects are scattered around the film and played with equal precision. Mother and Child's lossless soundtrack is limited in range to be sure, but it handles the picture's spartan sound design wonderfully in every scene. Don't equate a high score with an action-packed extravaganza; Mother and Child is certainly not that, but Sony's lossless soundtrack handles all that's asked of it with pinpoint clarity. The film's sound design may be routine, but this is routine done as well as it may be done.

Mother and Child Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Mother and Child gives birth to a few bundles of occasionally joyous extras.

• Creating the Family Tree (1080p, 13:39): Director Rodrigo García and other cast and crew discuss the history of the project, the challenges of acquiring the necessary finances, the casting process, the dynamics of the characters and their interactions, and the work of the primary crew.
• Universally Connected (1080p, 15:37): This piece is best enjoyed as an extension of the last. It focuses more closely on the dynamics of the characters and the themes of the story.
• Deleted Scenes (1080p, 3:43): She Wanted to Look For Her, How Did You Get Pregnant?, and Tell Me What to Remember.
• 'Mother and Child' Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:10):
• Previews (1080p): You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Tamara Drewe, Inside Job, Get Low, Micmacs, Please Give, and The Bridge on the River Kwai.
• BD-Live.



Mother and Child Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 




Mother and Child is a superb picture that's easily one of the best Dramas of 2009. Touching, honest, and real, Director Rodrigo García's film doesn't shy away from the tough issues while also celebrating the joys of life that, no matter the pains, doubt, and fears, always seem to, eventually and in some way, overwhelm the bad and make life worth living. The picture's incredible realism is helped by steady and unobtrusive direction as well as a cast that plays their characters with a seamlessness that draws the audience in from the start. Acting doesn't get much better than this. Mother and Child seems to have flown under the radar screen, but this is a Drama well worth tracking down. Sony's Blu-ray release of Mother and Child features stunning video and a quality lossless soundtrack, supported by a few supplements. Highly recommended.