Mother and Child (2009)

Director:

Rodrigo García

Writer (WGA):

Rodrigo García (written by)

Release Date:

29 April 2010 (Israel)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A drama centered around three women: A 50-year-old woman, the daughter she gave up for adoption 35 years ago, and an African American woman looking to adopt a child of her own.

Plot Keywords:

Adoption | Baby | Lawyer | Girl | Sex

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

Cast

Alexandria M. Salling	...	Karen (age 14) (as Alexandria Salling)
Connor Kramme	...	Tom (age 14)
Annette Bening	...	Karen
Eileen Ryan	...	Nora
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Paul
Naomi Watts	...	Elizabeth
Cherry Jones	...	Sister Joanne
Kerry Washington	...	Lucy
David Ramsey	...	Joseph
Kay D'Arcy	...	Karen's Hydrotherapy Patient
Bradford Alex	...	Physical Therapist
Jimmy Smits	...	Paco
Elpidia Carrillo	...	Sofia
Simone Lopez	...	Cristi
Carla Gallo	...	Tracy
Marc Blucas	...	Steven
S. Epatha Merkerson	...	Ada
Michael Warren	...	Winston
LaTanya Richardson	...	Carol
Shareeka Epps	...	Ray
David Morse	...	Tom
Amy Brenneman	...	Dr. Eleanor Stone
Tatyana Ali	...	Maria
Sean Scarborough	...	Maria's Husband
Ahmed Best	...	Julian
Brenda Ball	...	Paul's Niece
Veronica Welch	...	Paul's Sister
Dawn Marie Deibert	...	Judge (as Dawn Deibert)
Gloria Garayua	...	Melissa
Elizabeth Peña	...	Amanda
Lawrence Pressman	...	Dr. Morgan
Britt Robertson	...	Violet
LisaGay Hamilton	...	Leticia
Gabrielle Abitol	...	Adoption Agency Worker
Karen Graci	...	Ray's Nurse
Eugene Collier	...	Hospital Security Guard
Evette Cord	...	Adoption Agency Lawyer
Juliette Amara	...	Ella (age 2)
Susan Bay	...	Rebecca (as Susan Nimoy)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Victor A. Chapa	...	Bank Customer (uncredited)
Janea Granville	...	Wedding Guest (uncredited)
Renee Jumper	...	Elizabeth's Replacement (uncredited)

Directed by
Rodrigo García

Writing credits (WGA)
Rodrigo García		(written by)

Produced by
Lisa Maria Falcone	....	producer
Alejandro González Iñárritu	....	executive producer
Karen Graci	....	associate producer
Tom Heller	....	associate producer
Julie Lynn	....	producer
Jonathan McCoy	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Ed Shearmur		(as Edward Shearmur)

Cinematography by
Xavier Pérez Grobet		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Steven Weisberg

Casting by
Heidi Levitt

Production Design by
Christopher Tandon

Set Decoration by
Lisa Fischer

Costume Design by
Susie DeSanto

Makeup Department
Carla Farmer	....	assistant hair department head
Kimberly Felix	....	assistant makeup department head (as Kim Felix-Burke)
Michael Germain	....	makeup artist
Sian Richards	....	makeup department head
Gail Rowell-Ryan	....	hair department head (as Gail Ryan)

Production Management
Paul Jaconi-Biery	....	production supervisor
Jonathan McCoy	....	unit production manager
John Portnoy	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Julian Brain	....	second second assistant director
Christophe Le Chanu	....	second assistant director
John McKeown	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Rebekah Bell	....	assistant art director
April Falzone Garen	....	food stylist
Ramon Fernandez	....	greens person
Douglas Fox	....	property master
Luis Ivan Garcia	....	art department intern (as Luis Iván García)
Seth Goulden	....	set dresser
Josephine Green-Yang	....	art department intern
Allison Gross	....	assistant property master
Bruce E. Kasson	....	set dresser (as Bruce Kasson)
George Lee	....	set dresser
Cynthia Martinez	....	head greensperson
Patricia R. Mitchell	....	painter (as Patricia Mitchell)
Glenda Mullins	....	painter
David C. Potter	....	leadman (as David Potter)
Michael P. Sweeney	....	assistant property master
Barry Tugendhaft	....	greensperson (as Barry R. Tugendhaft)
Richard Blake Wester	....	set dresser (as Richard B. Wester)
Joyce Yeich	....	on-set dresser
Matt Center	....	set dresser (uncredited)
Sean Lira	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
David Betancourt	....	foley mixer (as Dave Betancourt)
Aymen Braek	....	sound mixer
Susan Dawes	....	supervising sound editor
Peter J. Devlin	....	sound mixer (as Peter Devlin)
Ron Evans	....	adr mixer
Dawn Fintor	....	foley artist
Harsha First	....	additional boom operator
Harsha First	....	utility sound
Laura Graham	....	dialogue editor
Sonia Hernandez	....	audio: dailies, Cinemascan, EFilm
Doug Jackson	....	sound effects editor
David Lucarelli	....	adr recordist
Helen Luttrell	....	dialogue editor
John Murray	....	foley supervisor (as John M. Murray)
Andy Nelson	....	sound mixer
Paul Pavelka	....	sound re-recording engineer
David Raymond	....	boom operator (as David Fiske Raymond)
Charleen Richards	....	adr mixer (as Charleen Steeves)
Dennis Rogers	....	sound recordist
Christine Sirois	....	adr recordist
Alicia Stevenson	....	foley artist
Jason Tuttle	....	assistant sound editor

Special Effects by
Chris Cline	....	special effects technician
David Waine	....	special effects coordinator (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Jamie Baxter	....	3d supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Jamie Baxter	....	compositor: Custom Film Effects
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals: EFilm (as Pat Clancey)
Mark Dornfeld	....	visual effects supervisor: Custom Film Effects
Michele Ferrone	....	visual effects producer: Custom Film Effects
Hector Moreno	....	digital imaging technician
Adam Zepeda	....	3d artist: Custom Film Effects
Shaina Holmes	....	digital artist supervisor (uncredited)
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator (uncredited)

Stunts
Kurt Bryant	....	stunt coordinator
Eugene Collier	....	stunt performer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael D. Alvarez	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Miguel Benavides	....	key grip
Alzahir Born	....	video playback technician (as Zahir Born)
Hector Castillo	....	best boy electric
Craig Cooper	....	company grip
Chris Cotterman	....	company grip
Kelly Cummins	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
Jeffrey Greeley	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Jeff Greeley)
Robert Head	....	best boy grip
Mike Horan	....	company grip
Ami Howard	....	digital utility
Timothy James Kane	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera (as Timothy Kane)
Randy Ladd	....	company grip
Craig Massie	....	additional grip
Michael Moretti	....	24 frame playback operator
Ralph Nelson	....	still photographer
Dylan Pomerleau	....	company electrician (as Dylan Sean Pomerleau)
Kurt Pomerleau	....	company electrician (as Kurtis S. Pomerleau)
Max Pomerleau	....	gaffer (as Paul Maxim Pomerleau)
Nick Pomerleau	....	company electrician (as Nick Theodule Pomerleau)
Wayne Stroud	....	dolly grip
Mariana Sánchez de Antuñano	....	additional camera operator: "b" camera
Mariana Sánchez de Antuñano	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Maxwell Thorpe	....	additional grip
Erik Wolford	....	additional dolly grip: "b" camera (as Lord Eric Walford)
Thomas Bango	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Zsolt Kadar	....	additional first assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Dawn Marie Deibert	....	extras casting (as Dawn Deibert)
Lisa Essary	....	casting associate
Lauren Fernandes	....	casting associate
Rich King	....	extras casting
Phoebe Middleton	....	casting intern
Georgia Simon	....	adr casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Amanda Angott	....	costume intern
Claire Bergkamp	....	costumer
Jamelle Flowers	....	set costumer
Deborah Hall	....	costume supervisor
Susan Kistler	....	key costumer
Amy Laslett	....	costume intern
Brie Harris	....	costumer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Rick J. Brown	....	colorist: dailies, Cinemascan, EFilm (as Rick Brown)
Natasha Leonnet	....	digital intermediate colorist
Curtis Lindersmith	....	digital intermediate editor
Brinton Lukens	....	post-production coordinator
Loan Phan	....	digital intermediate supervising producer
Robert E. Phillips	....	digital intermediate producer: EFILM (as Robert Phillips)
Catherine Rowe	....	assistant digital intermediate colorist
Eric O. Schusterman	....	first assistant editor
Jessica Tardieu	....	post-production intern
George Chavez	....	color timer (uncredited)
Joan Malloch	....	post-production coordinator (uncredited)

Music Department
Anthony Baldino	....	ambient music designer
Bryan Carrigan	....	digital score recordist
Bryan Carrigan	....	music editor
Chris Fogel	....	music scoring mixer
Barklie K. Griggs	....	music supervisor (as Barkie Griggs)
Simon James	....	orchestra contractor
Kory Kruckenberg	....	music sound engineer
Chris Lane	....	ambient music designer
Northwest Sinfonia	....	musicians
Robert Puff	....	music preparation
David Sabee	....	orchestra contractor
Jon Schluckebier	....	scoring stage technician (as Jon Schlukabier)
Brian Valentino	....	pro tools operator
Henri Wilkinson	....	additional orchestrator
Henri Wilkinson	....	score producer
John Winters	....	scoring stage assistant

Transportation Department
Rod Brodie	....	driver
Darin Chisholm	....	driver
Curtis Clark	....	driver (as Curtis E. Clark)
Kaiser Clark	....	driver: Ms.i Watts
Michael Connor	....	transportation clerk
James Deegan	....	transportation co-captain
Geno Hart	....	transportation consultant
Chris Haynes	....	driver
Kyle Jetton	....	driver (as J. Kyle Jetton)
William Laran	....	driver
Eric Learnnard	....	driver
Marc Lipman	....	driver
Bill Needham	....	driver (as William Needham)
John Pellegrino	....	transportation captain (as John 'JP' Pellegrino)
John Russo	....	driver
Daniel Sanchez	....	picture car mechanic (as Daniel J. Sanchez)
William Smallwood	....	driver
Bill Thompson	....	driver
William P. Lafon	....	production van driver operator (uncredited)
Steve Larson	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Carlos A. Aragon	....	location manager (as Carlos Aragon)
Lauren Barnhart	....	assistant: Ms. Watts
Teodoro Benitez	....	assistant chef
Christina Born	....	insurance: DeWitt Stern
Kristen Boulé	....	set production assistant
Emerson Bruns	....	production legal
June Christopher	....	adr loop group
Robert Contreras	....	assistant chef
Beth Diamond	....	assistant: Ms. Washington
Melissa Downing	....	location assistant (as Melizza 'Zippy' Downing)
Tad Driscoll	....	production accountant
Simon Edelman	....	production office assistant
Peter Flanigan	....	production legal
Nancy A. Flint	....	studio teacher (as Nancy Flint)
Gonzalo García Barcha	....	title designer
Blair Glorious	....	first assistant accountant
Jake Goldman	....	production intern
Mike Gomez	....	adr loop group
Julie Hannum	....	location scout
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach: Ms. Watts
Melissa Lynn La Marr	....	production intern
Eloy Lara	....	medic
Ken Lebre	....	dailies producer: Cinemascan, EFilm
Gordon Li-Ron	....	set production assistant
Vanessa Macedo	....	production office assistant
Douglas S. McClintock II	....	location scout (as Doug McClintock)
Volney McFarlin	....	assistant: Mr.Jackson
Ricard Miro	....	adr loop group
Luis Montenegro	....	chef
Giovanni Nasi	....	production intern
Morgan Patterson	....	key assistant location manager
Jacqueline Pinol	....	adr loop group
Megan Schmidt	....	set production assistant
Stan Sellers	....	adr loop group
Georgia Simon	....	adr loop group
Skip Stellrecht	....	adr loop group
Karen Strassman	....	adr loop group
Ingrid Urich-Sass	....	script supervisor
Lindsay Waldman	....	assistant: Ms. Bening
Alma Weaks	....	craft service
Robert S. Wilhelm Jr.	....	key set production assistant (as Bobby Wilhelm)
Priscila Amescua-Mendez	....	assistant: Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu (uncredited)
Philip Banks	....	additional production assistant (uncredited)
Gareth Paul Cox	....	production assistant: New York City (uncredited)
Audrey Dundee Hannah	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Lawrence Pacheco	....	site representative (uncredited)
Jasan Sherman	....	key assistant location manager (uncredited)
Peter Vogel	....	production associate (uncredited)
Jess Weiss	....	production intern (uncredited)
Joe Zimmerman	....	stand-in: Mr. Smits (uncredited)

Thanks
Alfonso Cuarón	....	special thanks
Guillermo del Toro	....	special thanks
Martha Haight	....	special thanks
Crystal Riportella-Crose	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Everest Entertainment
• Cha Cha Cha
• Mockingbird Pictures

Distributors

• Cathay-Keris Films (2010) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2010) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Cinéart (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Einhorn (2011) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Golden Screen (2010) (Malaysia) (theatrical)
• Hopscotch Films (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Londra Films P&D (2011) (Bolivia) (theatrical)
• MEED Films (2010) (Lithuania) (theatrical) (Baltic states)
• Ozone Network (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Phantom Film (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Sony Pictures Classics (2010) (USA) (theatrical)
• Universum Film (UFA) (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• VTI (2010) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• Vertice Cine (2010) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Verve Pictures (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Bir Film (2010) (Turkey) (all media)
• DNC Entertainment (2011) (Italy) (all media)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Front Row Distributors (2010) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2009) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Haut et Court (2010) (France) (all media)
• Hopscotch Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (all media)
• PlayArte Filmes (2010) (Brazil) (all media)
• Seven Films (2010) (Greece) (all media)
• Smile Entertainment (2010) (Denmark) (all media) (Scandinavia)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Sundream Motion Pictures (2010) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• TVA Films (2010) (Canada) (all media)
• Twin Pics (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Valentim de Carvalho Multimédia (2011) (Portugal) (all media)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  post-production sound facilities
• Alex Gourmet Catering  catering (as Alex's Gourmet Catering)
• CAP  locations
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• DeWitt Stern Insurance Services  insurance (as DeWitt Stern)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• EMS Payroll  payroll services
• Emerson Bruns Law  production legal (as Emerson Bruns)
• Film Art  artwork
• Film Finances  completion guarantor
• Freeway CAM B.V.  world revenues collected and distributed by
• Hyperion Sound  music recorded and mixed at
• Joan Pearce Research Associates  script clearance research
• Robert Puff Music  music preparation
• Star Waggons  cast trailers
• Upload Films  post-production services
• Upload Films  post-production
• Varèse Sarabande  soundtrack

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality, brief nudity, and language

Runtime:

125 min

Country:

USA | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #45499) | Singapore:M18 | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Canada:18A (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Hong Kong:IIB | Australia:MA | Malaysia:PG-13 | Brazil:12 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud) | Sweden:7 | Japan:PG12 | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | Germany:12 | UK:15 | France:U | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Everest Entertainment

Trivia:

Robin Wright was originally cast as Naomi Watts's character, Elizabeth.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Karen:Her birthday's coming up. She'll be 37.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Late Show with David Letterman: Jack Hanna/Kerry Washington/Willie Nelson (#17.131)" (2010)

Soundtrack:

Te Quiero

Pitch Perfect & Sensitively Directed

Caught this one at TIFF, and it was one of the best movies of the festival. Rodrigo Garcia directed "Nine Lives", which may be familiar to some audiences. That one was from 2005 and wove together a series of short vignettes. Garcia has a wonderful sensibility at portraying female characters in that one, and in "Mother & Child" he builds upon it even further as the movie centers around the theme of adoption and how it affects three adult women, played by Annette Bening, Naomi Watts, and Kerri Washington.

I suppose this will get the "chick flick" label upon it's release, but for any lover of good dramas with characters you can sink your teeth into, that shouldn't matter, and besides, when did it become unfashionable for grown men to see movies with attractive female stars in them? There isn't a false moment or a scene that doesn't ring true, and I found myself so involved in the particularities of all the characters we meet that it no longer mattered to me what happened next, it was more interesting to get inside the shoes and take a walk inside the lives of these characters, so well fleshed out by all the stars here. So many big movies from America often feature adults behaving like children, and so it's ultimately refreshing and quite moving to follow the characters in "Mother & Child" who are going through very adult problems and acting like adults throughout, even if sometimes they fall or crack or are flawed.

I think Bening and Watts, playing two very complicated and difficult women, should be nominated for Oscars. This movie takes material that could have been dumbed down and made into a TV movie of the week, but instead Rodrigo Garcia elevates the film by really listening to his characters. A wonderful movie, not just for women, but for all adults who like good movies, and for all film-goers who especially like "hyperlink" movies, that is, movies that deal with a multitude of characters while letting each of them take the wheel of the car. Terrific.