IMDb > Mother (1996/II)
Mother
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Mother (1996/II) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
6.6/10   2,700 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 16% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Writers (WGA):
Albert Brooks (written by) &
Monica Mcgowan Johnson (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Mother on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 December 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Tagline:
No Actual Mothers Were Harmed During The Making Of This Motion Picture. more
Plot:
A neurotic, twice divorced sci-fi writer moves back in with his mom to solve his personal problems. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 3 wins more
User Comments:
Incredible Depiction of One Man's Coming to Terms with an Overbearing Mother more (41 total)
US TV Schedule:

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Paul Collins ... Lawyer
Laura Weekes ... Karen Henderson

Albert Brooks ... John Henderson

John C. McGinley ... Carl

Debbie Reynolds ... Beatrice Henderson
Richard Assad ... TV Installer
Joey Naber ... TV Installer

Vanessa Williams ... Donna

Lisa Kudrow ... Linda

Rob Morrow ... Jeff Henderson

Isabel Glasser ... Cheryl Henderson
Danielle Quinn ... Jill Henderson
Spencer Klein ... Josh Henderson

Ernie Lively ... Man at Rest Stop (as Ernie Brown)
Anne Haney ... Helen
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated PG-13 for some sexual references.
Runtime:
104 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Filming Locations:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Director/writer/actor Albert Brooks asked Nancy Reagan (who used to act under the name Nancy Davis) to play the part of his mother. Nancy really wanted to come out of acting retirement to play the role, but declined because she couldn't bear to be away from husband and former president Ronald Reagan, suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Also on Brooks' list of former actresses to play his mother was Doris Day, but she showed no interest in coming out of acting retirement. Brooks is an old friend of actress/writer Carrie Fisher, and he knew her famous mother (Debbie Reynolds) through her. (Debbie used to try to pair Albert and Carrie off for marriage.) Brooks was looking for a big-name actress from the past and called Fisher to see if she thought her mother would accept the role. Fisher said yes, as did Reynolds. more
Goofs:
Revealing mistakes: When John is reading his mothers transcript of the story she wrote in her youth we see that she has misspelled the name of the Whitman's candy company as Whittman. more
Quotes:
John Henderson: [upon eating very old orange sherbet] Blaaah! Oh God, this is horribly old! This tastes like an orange foot! more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Humoresque more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Incredible Depiction of One Man's Coming to Terms with an Overbearing Mother, 24 August 1999
Author: Brad L. Wooldridge (HulkSmash@windstream.net) from Barry, Texas USA

Mother is definitely one of Albert Brooks' finest films, in both the directorial and performance departments. It is a funny, touching, and sometimes frustrating story of a science fiction novelist, played by Brooks, trying to find the cause of his failed personal relationships by moving back in with his mother, played excellently by Debbie Reynolds.

Not a laugh riot, as it was not intended to be, Mother is a study in the relationship between an overbearing, yet non-attentive mother, and her distraught, hopelessly lost son. The performances are exquisite by all of the players, including the little seen Rob Morrow as the momma's boy sports agent brother of Brooks' character.

A true triumph for Albert Brooks and a little known gem, Mother is an unforgettable film which can also stand to teach a few lessons about what parents and their children give up in order to live with one another.

Highly recommended.

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