Despite Uma Thurman's comic skills, Motherhood's contrived set-ups and cliched jokes keep this comedy from delivering laughs -- or insights into modern parenting.
Despite Uma Thurman's comic skills, Motherhood's contrived set-ups and cliched jokes keep this comedy from delivering laughs -- or insights into modern parenting.
audience
18
liked it
Average Rating: 2.3/5
User Ratings: 3,071
Uma Thurman, Minnie Driver, and Anthony Edwards star in writer/director Katherine Dieckmann's slice of life indie Motherhood, which follows a hapless mother of two as she attempts to prepare for her daughter's rapidly approaching sixth birthday party. Along the way, the harried mother is forced to contend with a monumental series of unexpected urban challenges. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Whiny and self-involved, Thurman's mother of two sees judgment around every corner and believes the universe has conspired against her because the bakery misspelled her daughter's name on a birthday cake.
If Carrie Bradshaw ever trades her Manolos for sneakers and starts blogging about raising children, I pray she wouldn't be as tiresome as the heroine of Katherine Dieckmann's insufferable comedy Motherhood.
I wouldn't care if she was at the epicentre of the movement for global peace: she's a happily married mother who looks like Uma Thurman, and my reserves of sympathy are limited.
If you ever wanted to spend an entire movie in the company of a frazzled, childcare-juggling Uma Thurman on a singularly bad hair day, Motherhood could well be manna from heaven.
It's a well-meaning movie, but the attempts to provide amusing insights into the everyday life of a full-time mum are hamstrung by the 24-hour time frame.
It's hard to see why the target audience would want to sacrifice two precious hours watching their own soul-sapping routines played out on the big screen.
This I-Don't-Know-How-I-Do-It schtick may appeal to the martyred-motherhood brigade, but it won't do anything for people who turn up to a comedy expecting laughs.
There's nothing much here on the wonders of parental obligation to reinforce the mood, only ineffective flecks of comedy and abrasively broad performances to help sell an unwelcome foray into me-me-me individuality.
Being a full time Dad and doing 90 mpercent of daily work I can relate with this movie and the 1000's of Moms who are home doing it alone. 4 STARS
June 8, 2011
Bruce Bruce
Super Reviewer
I think the story has many truthful moments and the script delivers some wise and funny lines. Uma Thurman is wonderful as Eliza Welsh, a mother of two who lives in the verge of a nervous breakdown - but it's not a regular one, it's a pretty chaotic 24 hour marathon in which several significant events converge, being
the most important of them the celebration of her lovely daughter's sixth birthday. In the supporting roles, Anthony Edwards is excellent portraying the extremely unfocused husband, Minnie Driver looks smart and sparkling in the role of the best friend and Daisy Tahan portrays the part of Clara (Eliza's daughter) with a surprising and overwhelming naturalism.
No quotes approved yet for Motherhood. Logged in users can submit quotes.
Submit a Quote from 'Motherhood'
A quote can be a single line from one character or a memorable dialog between several characters. Please make your quotes accurate. Quotes will be submitted for approval by the RT staff.
Example:
Luke: Alright. I'll give it a try. Yoda: No. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.
Top Critic
