Otherhood, a comedy about three long-time friends who decide to show up at their grown up son’s apartments because they didn’t call them on Mother’s Day is neither the best or the worst work of either of the main actors.

Starring Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette and Felicity Huffman, there’s a cliche or two and a cringe worthy moment here and there. Nevertheless, I found the glimpse into the empty nester experience worthwhile.

I’m sure I smiled and maybe also laughed a few times as Otherhood played, but the film’s humour wasn’t my favourite part. I was mostly taken by the dysfunctional nature of the challenging relationships between the mother and son characters. Especially the ones played by Huffman and Jake Lacey. Their relationship reminded me of the saying ‘hurt people, hurt people’. The dynamic between them made me see that we’re all, to an extent, hurt people trying with varying degrees of success not to let our hurt spill over onto others unfairly.

In this way, it’s more the challenges that arose between the characters, due to an absence of effective communication, that I found most intriguing about Otherhood. Had the script been better, I’d probably have laughed more and cried a little more, but I have no regrets.

One thing is for sure about the empty-nest experience: if your children don’t call you on Mother’s Day after they’ve flown the nest, it’s hopefully because of a reason that has nothing to do with how they feel about you. Sometimes, though, it’s because of your ‘not so healthy relationship’ – the nature of which has never really been properly addressed. So get to addressing!

Watch Otherhood if you’re curious enough.

FYI: I’m not a mother, so maybe take my advice with a healthy pinch of salt.

Happy Film Loving

G