Otherhood Quick View Movie Logic: All Moms Suck Grade: D

Source: IMDB

Otherhood is about three mothers, whom did not receive a “Happy Mothers Day” call or text on Mothers Day. So all three mothers decided that’s not cool, so they drove all the way to where their sons live, which ironically they all live in the same city. So party for all for these mothers, as they’ll invade their sons home, to teach them a lesson... Well sort of I guess. Movies made strictly for moms sometimes can be fun, like 2018’s enjoyably fine film Book Club. But here’s the thing: If you don’t provide a personality, sense of humor, or even character arcs for the moms... Chances are, you’re going to be bored out of your freaking mind, as that’s what Otherhood did for me. I can provide one positive: Carol Walker’s (Angela Bassett) son Matt (Sinqua Walls) had an arc. He learned to stop sleeping around with young pretty but brainless females, as he can go after a smart independent woman... Good job movie, good job Carol, you did something good. Matt is obviously the best character in the entire film, he’s a good dude, has a dope job, he loves his mom, and learns something. I guess one other positive I can say, is that this film fits the “Strictly only Moms” demographic, I can’t see anyone else liking this movie other than moms over 50’s club. The concept itself sounds like fun, but is handled extremely poorly, as I felt like falling asleep. I feel like most of the acting is suitable, the problem is majority of the characters are unlikable, more so towards the moms. All moms share a common trend: They’re all old, bitter, stubborn, judgmental women. Now I’ll give credit, as to Carol wanting her son going after a more mature woman. But why is him being an art director, for a magazine strictly for modeling such a bad thing?! Like who cares if the women/men in the magazine, are half naked, it’s not like he’s working for Playboy or Hustler, what’s the problem?! Gillian (Patricia Arquette) makes her son Daniel (Jake Hoffman) go on a date with a girl she knows, she feels she’ll be a better fit for him, due to the quality level of her FaceBook photos... Maybe rushing a young man, from getting cheated on during a long term relationship, to going on a date isn’t the best option right now. How about visiting Daniel’s cheating ex?! What was that all about, instead of getting a haircut? Like telling her, Daniel was better with her than without her... The kid got cheated on her, how about show some decency? Daniel is worst than her. How about mistreating his date?! She seemed like a normal reasonable woman, who had insights on the writing business, while giving good advice... Be less of a dick? Daniel also getting mad, that his mother cooked a couple of homemade dishes for him, what a selfish prick. You should be honored your mother made you food, I bet you can’t even cook. The cream of the crop: Helen (Felicity Huffman), easily the worst mother of them all. She’s a self centered asshole, who only cares about herself. The way she torments her son, with nonstop judgment drove me crazy, no wonder why her son doesn’t keep in touch, I’d move to another country if I was him. When it came to the “unexpected” reveal of her son being gay, being a sperm donor, or even leaving an apology note... This woman would just not shut up. I do have a complaint about the son Paul (Jake Lacy). During dinner Paul’s mother asked, why he didn’t come out of the closet to her? Paul said his sexuality reveal, shouldn’t be a huge fiasco, straight people don’t do it, so why should he?! Gay people are as normal as straight people, so why should he have an epic reveal? You know what: That actually made sense, I agreed with him... Then he went on saying, he told his secret to his dad and friends as I’m like... What a way to ruin a solid moment, you hypocrite. The moms have a fight in the near end, because stubbornness loves company. The film is filled with terrible music, pointless narration, poor set design, cheap cinematography, some bad acting, dull unlikable characters, a stupid story that offers no moral lessons provided, a TERRIBLE SENSE OF HUMOR... I didn’t laugh once. I was just bored out of mind with this one. Overall, Otherhood is a bad comedy film. I don’t recommend this film, like the sons that treated their moms in this film, avoid and stay far far far away from this movie. -Mitch Smietana