RottenTomatoes.com
Log In | Register | What is RT?
Check out the new RT Community
  • Home
  • Movies
  • DVD
  • Celebrities
  • News
  • Critics
  • Trailers & Pictures
  • CommunityBeta
  • Box Office
  • | In Theaters
  • | Opening
  • | Upcoming
  • | Best Of
  • | Certified Fresh
  • | Showtimes
RT Search Powered by Google
help icon Enhanced RT
searches on Google
Click here to turn on enhanced search results from RT on your Google searches.
 
Movies / Upcoming / Mother
Mother

Rate this Movie Help Icon

  • Showtimes & Tickets
  • Write a Review
  • Read Reviews
  • Add to List
  • Buy Poster External Icon
Bookmark and Share

Mother (2009)

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
93 %
Tomatometer
Template ImageTemplate Image

How does the Tomatometer work Help Icon

Reviews Counted:14

Fresh:13

Rotten:1

Average Rating:7.3/10

Rated: Rating Pending

Runtime: 2 hrs 8 mins

Genre: Dramas

Synopsis: After the international success of THE HOST, director Bong-joon Ho turns his talent to this film that played at Cannes in 2009. In MOTHER, a woman is forced to investigate a murder after her son is... After the international success of THE HOST, director Bong-joon Ho turns his talent to this film that played at Cannes in 2009. In MOTHER, a woman is forced to investigate a murder after her son is wrongfully accused of the crime. [More]

Starring: Hye-ja Kim, Bin Won

Starring: Hye-ja Kim, Bin Won

Director: Oh Bong-Joon

Director: Oh Bong-Joon

[See More Credits]

  • Trailers
  • Pictures
1 - 5 of 16

See More Movie Trailers & Pictures

Reviews for Mother

  • T-Meter Critics
  • Top Critics
  • RT Community
  • My Critics
  • My Friends
 
 
1 - 14 (sorted by comments)
Text View
Arrange By:Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 

Hye-ja is beautifully understated in the central role and her subtle performance alone does much to take the edge off the film's more hyperbolic twists and turns.

Full Review Source: Eye for Film | comment Comment
10/09/09
Amber Wilkinson
Amber Wilkinson
Eye for Film

Bong Joon-ho remains a filmmaker of sympathetic wit, using often-comic situations to frame the story's intense tragedy and pathos.

Full Review Source: FILMINK (Australia) | comment Comment
07/10/09
Andrew Moraitis
Andrew Moraitis
FILMINK (Australia)

Its wizardly craft provide[s] further evidence that Bong is one of the most formidable filmmaking talents to have emerged this decade...

Full Review Source: Film Freak Central | comment Comment
09/19/09
Bill Chambers
Bill Chambers
Film Freak Central

It's elegant, witty, tightly plotted and absolutely gripping.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
05/18/09
Damon Wise
Damon Wise
Empire Magazine

As with Bong’s other films, the genre plot is really an excuse to explore broader social issues, which he does with skill and dry wit. The result is a slightly overlong but entertaining and rather unexpected thriller.

Full Review Source: At the Movies (Australia) | comment Comment
07/10/09
David Stratton
David Stratton
At the Movies (Australia)

Less visionary than Bong's 2003 serial-killer mystery, "Memories of Murder," but with the same skillfully natural evocation of a rural community hiding dark secrets.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
05/17/09
Derek Elley
Derek Elley
Variety

Changing pace after the horror yarn The Host, director Bong Joon-ho's fourth feature is a compelling mystery thriller as well as a darkly intense study of mother-son relationship.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
09/09/09
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Changing pace after the entertaining horror yarn The Host, South Korean director Bong Joon-ho's fourth feature is a compelling murder mystery as well as a darkly intense, splendidly acted chronicle of mother-son relationship.

Full Review Source: EmanuelLevy.Com | comment Comment
09/09/09
Emanuel Levy
Emanuel Levy
EmanuelLevy.Com

Bong is less interested in shocks than in the synergy between the country's vast fields and the equally mysterious inner landscape of the dazed matriarch making her way across them.

Full Review Source: Slant Magazine | comment Comment
10/05/09
Fernando F. Croce
Fernando F. Croce
Slant Magazine

Mother is competent, no more, no less.

Full Review Source: Total Film | comment Comment
05/17/09
Jamie Graham
Jamie Graham
Total Film

A superb murder mystery, with twists coming thick and fast yet always at the right moments.

Full Review Source: Hollywood Reporter | comment Comment
05/17/09
Maggie Lee
Maggie Lee
Hollywood Reporter

Filled with the elegant compositions and mood-drenched cinematography which are becoming Bong’s specialty, Mother is a largely satisfying film which marks the director out as South Korea’s most versatile young auteur.

Full Review Source: Screen International | comment Comment
05/17/09
Mike Goodridge
Mike Goodridge
Screen International

Kim Hye-Ja's performance is absolutely magnificent, the kind of performance that seems to radiate straight out of the actress's body.

Full Review Source: Antagony & Ecstasy | comment Comment
10/15/09
Tim Brayton
Tim Brayton
Antagony & Ecstasy

Korean film-maker Bong Joon-ho's fourth feature film, Mother, displays an assurance in suspenseful story telling that is remarkable.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
08/10/09
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
 
 
1 - 14 (sorted by comments)
Text View
all

Latest News for Mother

October 13, 2009: Bong Joon-ho Talks The Snow Piercer Opens in new window
Director Bong Joon-ho is out promoting his new movie, "Mother," but he's already looking ahead to his next project -- an adaptation of the apocalyptic French graphic novel, "Le... More...

May 10, 2009: Click for trailer and preview Opens in new window
More...

See All

More Movies

Close
Coming Soon
Tomatometer Percentage Movie Date

More…

90% 90% The White Ribbon 12/30
100% 100% Daybreakers 1/8
— Leap Year 1/8
83% 83% Youth in Revolt 1/8
— The Book of Eli 1/15
See All

RT On Current TV

The Rotten Tomatoes Show on Current TV

DIRECTV 358 | Comcast 107 | DISH Network 196 | More...

Learn how you can be part of the show

More...

What’s Hot On RT

Best of the Decade

Best of the Decade

Find out what movies made our list!

Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2

Watch the brand new trailer now!

Clash of the Titans

Clash of the Titans

Prepare to Clash with Titans in this trailer!

Total Recall

Total Recall

RT looks back on Jude Law's best movies!

Other News

Close
  • Top Stories
  • Popular
  • Interviews
 
 

Comments

 
 
Top Stories
Headlines Comments
  
  • New Toy Story 3 Clip, Photos Posted Source: Slashfilm
10
  • Danny Trejo Talks Machete, Possible Sequels Source: Collider.com
14
  • It's Official: Jackass 3-D Coming in 2010 Source: Collider.com
16
  • Bryan Singer Returning to X-Men for First Class Source: Superhero Hype
102
  • Mark Strong Talks Kick-Ass, John Carter, and Robin Hood Source: Collider.com
1
  • How Avatar Happened: The Path to Innovation Source: CinemaBlend.com
19
  • Rob Marshall Says Pirates 4 Is Still a Maybe Source: ComingSoon.net
32
  • ET Teases Iron Man 2 Teaser Source: Collider.com
28
  • Tobey Maguire Refutes Hobbit Rumors Source: Hollywood Reporter
9
  • Prince of Persia Featurette Posted Source: Yahoo! Movies
4
Popular
Headlines Comments
  
  • Critics Consensus: Avatar Is Certified Fresh
313
  • Box Office Guru Wrapup: Avatar Soars to #1 Spot
261
  • Brittany Murphy: 1977-2009
115
  • RT's Best of the Decade!
96
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
64
  • Weekly Ketchup: Bryan Singer Teaches X-Men: First Class
44
  • Total Recall: Jude Law's Best Movies
44
  • RT on DVD & Blu-Ray: District 9 and (500) Days of Summer
32
  • Critics Consensus: Sherlock Holmes Is Worth Investigating
20
  • Friday Harvest: Alice in Wonderland, Sherlock Holmes, and more!
14
Interviews
Headlines Comments
  
  • Five Favorite Films With Peter Jackson
64
  • Robert Downey Jr. talks Sherlock Holmes & Iron Man 2 - RT Interview
21
  • Director Ruben Fleischer Talks Zombieland
2
  • "I Don't Hate Women": Lars von Trier on Antichrist
17
  • Eric Bana talks Love the Beast - RT Interview
12
  • Fight Club Sound Designer Reflects on Film's 10th Anniversary
24
  • James Schamus talks Taking Woodstock - RT Interview
8
  • John Hurt Talks Harry Potter, Quentin Crisp and Alien - The RT Interview
16
  • Terry Gilliam Talks Doctor Parnassus
24
  • Wes Anderson Talks Fantastic Mr. Fox - RT Interview
9
 
 

Sponsored Links

Around The Network

  • Mother at Rotten Tomatoes

Fresh Links

Featured
Best Dozen of the Decade
Best Dozen of the Decade External Link

Last week, MSN gave us their top 09 films. Now see what their favorites of the decade are!

Top 50 of 2009
Top 50 of 2009 External Link

Here's a list of the 50 best movies of 2009, according to the good people over at Moviefone.

Santa's Naughty List
Santa's Naughty List External Link

Hollywood.com takes a stab at determining who in movies will be on Santa's naughty list in 2009.

Top 10 Movies of 2009
Top 10 Movies of 2009 External Link

TIME chimes in with their own list of the best films released this year.

Top 20 of the Decade
Top 20 of the Decade External Link

Click through to see which movies BuzzSugar placed in their Best-of-Decade list!

Promos
Follow RT on Twitter
Follow RT on Twitter External Link

Get the latest Tomatometer updates on upcoming movies!

 
 
About| Site Map| Help| RT To Go| Contact Us| Critics Submission| Linking to RT| Licensing| Movie List| Games| Celebs List| Newsletter
IGN Logo
About Us | Advertise | Contact Us | Press | Careers
IGN | GameSpy | Comrade | Arena | FilePlanet | Direct2Drive | GameSpy Technology
TeamXbox | Game Sites | VE3D | CheatsCodesGuides | GameStats | GamerMetrics
AskMen.com | Rotten Tomatoes | GIGA.DE | What They Play | Battlefield Heroes
By continuing past this page, and by your continued use of this site, you agree to be bound by and abide by the User Agreement.
Copyright 1998-2009, IGN Entertainment, Inc. | Support | Privacy Policy | User Agreement | Subscribe to RT's XML feed! RSS Feeds
IGN’s enterprise databases running Oracle, SQL and MySQL are professionally monitored and managed by Pythian Remote DBA.
Certain product data ©1995-present Muze, Inc. For personal use only. All rights reserved.