My Mother

2004, Drama, 1h 51m

44 Reviews 2,500+ Ratings

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critics consensus

Pretentious, overly perverse and dull. Read critic reviews

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My Mother Photos

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Movie Info

An impulsive widow (Isabelle Huppert) and her 17-year-old son (Louis Garrel) become increasingly attracted to each other at their summer house.
  • Rating:
    NC-17 (Violent Images|Some Language|Aberrant Sexual Content)
  • Genre:
    Drama
  • Original Language:
    French (Canada)
  • Director:
    Christophe Honoré
  • Producer:
    Paulo Branco, Bernard-Henri Lévy
  • Writer:
    Christophe Honoré
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     original
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $70.4K
  • Runtime:
  • Distributor:
    TLA Releasing

Cast & Crew

Isabelle Huppert
Hélène, the mother
Louis Garrel
Pierre, the son
Joana Preiss
Réa
Jean-Baptiste Montagut
Loulou
Dominique Reymond
Marthe
Olivier Rabourdin
Robert
Philippe Duclos
The father
Emma de Caunes
Hansi
Pascal Tokatlian
Klaus
Théo Hakola
Ian
Christophe Honoré
Director
Christophe Honoré
Writer
Paulo Branco
Producer
Bernard-Henri Lévy
Producer
Hélène Louvart
Cinematography
Chantal Hymans
Film Editing
Richard Rousseau
Casting
Laurent Allaire
Production Design
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Critic Reviews for My Mother

All Critics (44) | Top Critics (19) | Fresh (7) | Rotten (37)
Full Review… Jessica Reaves Chicago Tribune Full Review… Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle Full Review… Ty Burr Boston Globe Full Review… Michael O'Sullivan Washington Post Full Review… Peter Howell Toronto Star Full Review… Liam Lacey Globe and Mail Full Review… Gary M. Kramer Out Magazine Full Review… Tom Dawson The List Full Review… Dennis Schwartz Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews Full Review… Kevin Allison Film Journal International Full Review… Chelsea Bain Boston Herald Full Review… Laura Kelly South Florida Sun-Sentinel
View All Critic Reviews (44)

Audience Reviews for My Mother

  • Jul 21, 2016
    Despite how flat it seems at first, this French film is so provocative and perverse that I'm afraid a lot of people won't get its point, and I love how it explores the vulnerability of Garrel's character through his constant nudity and overflowing sexual desire.
    Carlos M Super Reviewer
  • Dec 21, 2009
    European cinema at its best! Producer Paulo Branco has been producing some of the best films and best directors in Europe and this is one of the latest ones. Absolutely amazing, in depicting obsession, incest, dysfunction, love, selfishness, acceptation, pain... It's particularly brilliant how time and space is (not) presented. The ending is terrific and the perfect conclusion to the story. Absolutely superb, a film I think only French could have the audacity to do... I hope European Cinema gets more protection so that we can keep watching these master pieces, otherwise we'll just have to stay dumb watching the main pop corn stream...
    Cassandra M Super Reviewer
  • Sep 15, 2009
    SPOILER ALERT - I really thought I knew what I was getting with this movie. I knew there was a sexually confused son, back from boarding school who has an odd relationship with his mother. And I knew it was NC-17. And I actually thought most of the movie was pretty B/B- worthy. BUT the last 20 minutes or so goes from unconventional, to uncomfortable, to just plain FUCKED Up. And just when I thought it was over, the son jerks off to his dead mom.
    Sunil J Super Reviewer
  • Mar 24, 2009
    provocative and there's not really a great deal of incest in it so don't be put off by that. it's worth a watch. just a shame about the very rushed and shit ending. i found it funny at times actually. call me crazy but a mother telling her son how much of a slut she is just seems hilarious to me! i think there's black comedy in there somewhere if you have a bit of a sick mind
    Sanity Assassin ! Super Reviewer
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