The Mother (2003)

A grandmother has a passionate affair with a man half her age, who is also sleeping with her daughter.

Director:

Roger Michell

Writer:

Hanif Kureishi

Stars:

Daniel Craig, Anna Wilson-Jones, Anne Reid

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 2 wins & 11 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Anne Reid	...	May
Peter Vaughan	...	Toots
Anna Wilson-Jones	...	Helen
Daniel Craig	...	Darren
Danira Govich	...	Au Pair
Harry Michell	...	Harry
Rosie Michell	...	Rosie
Izabella Telezynska	...	Polish Cleaner
Steven Mackintosh	...	Bobby
Cathryn Bradshaw	...	Paula
Carlo Kureishi	...	Jack
Sachin Kureishi	...	Jack
Simon Mason	...	Man in Tate Gallery
Oliver Ford Davies	...	Bruce
Jonah Coombes	...	Estate Agent

Storyline

Toots and May's marriage is one of Toots being dependent on his wife. Shortly after Toots and May arrive in London to visit with their grown children Bobby and Paula and their respective children, Toots falls ill and dies. Toots' death brings to the surface the underlying strain that has always existed between May and both of her two children, and the unhappy lives they have all led. Now specifically with Paula, May is disapproving of her relationship with a construction worker named Darren. Not only does May think his occupation makes him beneath Paula, he's also a married man. Darren is in an unsatisfying marriage but doesn't want to leave it if only because of his son. Even after May gets to know and like Darren, she still encourages Paula to break up with him. The issue is is that May herself has fallen in love with Darren, the two who begin a sexual relationship. What will ultimately happen between May and Darren also depends on Darren, who is floundering in his own life and ...

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Plot Keywords:

death | topless female nudity | older woman younger man relationship | mother sleeps with daughter's lover | widow | 

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Taglines:

It can take a lifetime to feel alive.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for sexual content including graphic images of sexuality, language and brief drug use

Details

Official Sites:

Sony Pictures Classics [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 June 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die Mutter - The Mother

Filming Locations:

Goldhawk Road Underground Station, Goldhawk Road, Shepherd's Bush, London, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

£1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£59,077 (UK) (14 November 2003)

Gross:

$1,062,253 (USA) (5 November 2004)

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC Films, Free Range Films, Renaissance Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The son's house in the film is shown to be situated in the Notting Hill section of London, but the interiors and backdrop were all shot at a house in Chiswick. In scenes where the fancy Notting Hill row houses can be seen through the front door, the houses have been put in using CGI.

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Goofs

When Darren and Toots are discussing cricket, the reflections of crew equipment and the camera dolly mount are visible in the glass of the sunroom windows.

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Quotes

May: How did you become so cold?
Bobby: How did you become so hot?

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Connections

Features The Big Knights (1999)

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Soundtracks

Clint Eastwood
Written by Damon Albarn, Jamie Hewlett and Del Tha Funky Homosapien
Published by EMI Music Publishing Ltd
Courtesy of EMI Records Ltd

User Reviews

The merry widow

At the beginning of the film we watch May and Toots preparing for their trip to London for a visit to their grown children. One can see Toots is not in the best of health, but he goes along. When he dies suddenly, May's world, begins to spin out of control.

The film directed by Roger Michell, based on a screen play by Hanif Kureshi, is a study of how this mother figure comes to terms with her new status in life and her awakening into a world that she doesn't even know it existed until now.

May's life as a suburban wife was probably boring. Obviously her sexual life was next to nothing. We get to know she's had a short extra marital affair, then nothing at all. When May loses her husband she can't go back home, so instead, she stays behind minding her grandson at her daughter's home. It is in this setting that May begins lusting after young and hunky Darren, her daughter's occasional lover.

Darren awakes in May a passion she has not ever known. May responds by transforming herself in front of our eyes. May, who at the beginning of the film is dowdy, suddenly starts dressing up, becoming an interesting and attractive woman. She ends up falling heads over heels with this young man that keeps her sated with a passion she never felt before.

Having known a couple of cases similar to this story, it came as no surprise to me to watch May's reaction. Her own chance of a normal relationship with Bruce, a widower, ends up frustratingly for May, who realizes how great her sex is with Darren. The younger man, we figure, is only into this affair to satisfy himself and for a possibility of extorting money from May. Finally, the daughter, Helen discovers what Mum has been doing behind her back when she discovers the erotic paintings her mother has made.

The film is a triumph for the director. In Anne Reid, Mr. Michell has found an extraordinary actress who brings so much to the role of May. Also amazing is Daniel Craig. He knows how Darren will react to the situation. Anna Wilson Jones as Helen is also vital to the story as she is the one that has to confront the mother about what has been going on behind her back. Oliver Ford Davies plays a small part as Bruce the older man in Helen's class and is quite effective.

The film is rewarding for those that will see it with an open mind.