Strong cast wasted in soapy ‘Mothers’
“Mothers and Daughters” presents a glossy-looking assortment of interlocking stories that turn out to be disappointingly cliched and melodramatic.
The film’s most impressive facet may be that every character — including the ones who are financially struggling, physically ill or overwhelmingly busy — has truly spectacular hair.
At the film’s center is Rigby Gray (Selma Blair), a hip, single Manhattan photographer who’s facing an unexpected pregnancy. Through her, we meet several mothers and/or daughters — including Beth (Courteney Cox), who has just revealed a bombshell secret to Becca (Christina Ricci); Gayle (Eva Amurri Martino), who argues about finances with her estranged mother Millie (Susan Sarandon); Layla (Alexandra Daniels), who’s irritated at the future her “Devil Wears Prada”-ish mother Nina (Sharon Stone) has planned for her; and Georgina (Mira Sorvino), designer of a “haute couture bra collection,” who has a secret connection with another character — one you’ll figure out almost instantly.
Oh, there are some men in the film, as well. They’re interchangeable, but all nicely coifed, too.
Since so few movies focus on stories about women, it’s incredibly frustrating to watch this impressive cast drowning in soap bubbles. There’s no overarching story here, just scene after scene that the Lifetime Channel might reject as overwrought.
Stone does have one nice bit toward the end, where she’s warm and wry. And it’s a pleasure to see the film’s real-life motherdaughter duo, Sarandon and Martino, sparring in their single scene.
Otherwise, the film is totally forgettable.